Twinkle and Shine
by citygrl
Summary: PDLD...Rory and Finn while at Yale
1. Favors

**Chapter 1: Favors**

She was doing this as a favor to her father…and her grandparents. She didn't want to be here, her mom had told her time and time again that she didn't have to go. Hell Lorelai was going to attend with Christopher but had to back out last minute due to an emergency at the inn. Now however, she was standing in the middle of a room full of people she didn't know, minus the five that were her family and feeling extremely uncomfortable. Her father wasn't even there yet; she had arrived at the same time as her grandparents so it saved her some of the embarrassment of walking in alone. But now she was sitting at one of the many round tables set up around the spacious room the event was being held in by herself. She watched as the rich and egotistical people in attendance mingled and traded fake smiles with each other. She took note of how interested they all pretended to be with each other and the changes that occurred when one person actually started speaking with someone they particularly liked. Mainly a man or woman they had known for many, many years, or actually knew from college. Deciding that she needed something stronger to drink then her soda, Rory made her way to the bar. Being the host and hostess' granddaughter had to have some perks to right?

"Can I help you?" The male voice asked her.

"Yes, I'll have…a Manhattan please." She wasn't really paying attention to the bartender as much as she was looking out for her father.

"Can I see some ID please?"

Rory rolled her eyes as she turned her attention to the bar. "Marty?" He wasn't the one questioning her about her age, but he was on the other side of the man helping someone else.

"Rory?" The young man looked in her direction. "I got it Pat, you take the people on the end, they're looking a little anxious."

"Thank god," she smiled at him, "a Manhattan please." She knew that he would serve her even though she was underage.

"I don't know…" Marty seemed reluctant about getting her a drink.

"Damn it! Doesn't being related to these ridiculous people have _any_ perks?" She said loudly and on a moan.

"You're always being talked about behind your back—does that count?" A familiar male voice asked from behind her.

Rory turned her attention away from Marty and to the man. "It took you long enough! Please tell my friend Marty here that even if I'm not 21 yet, the only successful way for the granddaughter of these obnoxious people, a granddaughter they don't even like mind you, to get through this horrendous night is to keep the alcohol coming. Please?" She gave the man her famous Bambi eyes and giggled when she saw him give in.

"Your mother really did teach you everything she knows, didn't she?" He asked as she nodded her head. "Christopher Hayden." He introduced himself to Marty. "My parents are the ones throwing this event, this is my daughter. Just give her whatever she asks for until she can't make a decision or say the name properly, understood?" He was asking both the bartender and his daughter the question.

"Thank you Daddy!" Rory threw her arms around his neck and hugged him before turning back to Marty. "You heard the man, I'll take a Manhattan please and you?" She asked her father.

"Whiskey neat," he said seriously.

"How long have you been here?" She asked him.

"Oh, about two hours. I've been trying to talk my parents out of their latest idea."

Rory groaned. Most of the time when his parents had ideas and she was present they revolved around ways to get on her good side. It had been this way for the past two years when they realized how awful they had been to her that evening at her grandparent's house. "What are they doing this time?"

"They want to introduce you to society."

Rory scoffed. "They must have missed the whole debutante thing, huh? Besides, Grandma and Grandpa have really taken care of that."

"I'm working on it kid."

"You know that if they start something I'm leaving, right?" She picked her drink up and smiled at Marty. "Thanks Marty, I'm sure I'll be back." She placed a nice tip on the bar and slid off her stool, walking away with her father.

"I know that kid."

"Besides, you've learned how to stand up to your parents by now, right?" Her mother was the only person Rory had ever heard about that actually stood up to Straub and Francine Hayden. Since Lorelai couldn't be in attendance she promised Rory that Chris would take care of his parents. He would be forceful to save his daughter.

"Um…sure."

"Dad," Rory whined. "Come on, you have to help me!"

"How's this? If they start something I'll provide the getaway car."

"You're the best!" Rory threw her arms around her father with a huge smile.

"Christopher! When did you get here?" Emily's voice could be heard from behind them.

"I've been around Emily, my mother asked me to deal with some things for her. Are you enjoying yourself?" Chris smiled at Emily.

"It's a lovely gathering," Emily answered. Her voice was even more stoic then usual. It was clear that she was there because society demanded it and not of her own free well.

"There you are!" Richard approached his wife. "Christopher! How are you?" Richard held out his hand for the younger man to shake.

"Good Richard. How are you? Enjoying yourself?"

"It's quite a gathering that your parents are having this evening. Have you seen Rory?" They had arrived together but after a few introductions Rory had excused herself and had yet to be seen again.

"I was speaking with her a moment ago," Chris told them while looking around the room. "But she's seemed to have disappeared. I'm sure she'll resurface soon." He wanted to look at the bar but decided that may not be the best idea to do in front of Richard and Emily.

"Emily, look, the Linders; if you'll excuse us Christopher." Richard led Emily over to his business associates and Chris started to look for his daughter again.

Rory had seen her father get cornered by her grandmother and quickly made herself scarce. She had no interest in conversing with them any more than she needed to. She had yet to forgive them for dragging her to this event to begin with. Relieved that she remembered to bring a book along with her Rory ordered two more drinks and located a quiet room that she could read and drink in. Her grandparent's friends were boring, their children and grandchildren even more so. There was nothing about them that made her want to stick around. She had gotten through a full chapter of her book before the door opened. Rory didn't get up, thinking it was only her father who had found her and was surprised at the male voices she did hear.

"It's about time!" One called out.

"This looks like the perfect place," another said.

"Who's got the alcohol?" The question was posed by someone who had an accent of sorts—Australian she thought. "Give it up Colin!"

"You've got to share though Finn!" The voice that answered was the first one who spoke and Rory could tell without even lifting her face from the book that Finn was not happy with his friend's command. "It's not like we've got an endless supply or anything."

"Oh! Stop! You're hurting my ears! Say it's not so."

"Drama queen as usual," a bored sounding voice said.

"That hurts Robert! I thought we were friends!"

"Come on Finn, you know it's true. You should forget the family business and just be an actor," a voice said with a laugh. Over the top of her book Rory could see that it was the lone blonde in the group that said that.

"Oh thank god! We thought we'd never find you!" A female voice said as she entered the room. Rory noticed that three other girls followed the blonde into the room, taking the head count to ten not including her.

"Rosemary! Thank god! I was in need of a redhead!" The drama major, otherwise known as Finn, exclaimed.

"Tone it down Finnegan!" Rory could see the boy make a face at the use of his full name.

"What'd you girls bring with you?" Another boy asked. He nodded approvingly when he saw the bottles of champagne they were holding.

"The Haydens sure know how to throw a party," said Colin. Or at least it was the boy she thought was named Colin.

"Why did we have to come here again?" The blonde boy asked his friends. He was obviously not having a good time.

"Social obligations and all that crap," one of the guys answered.

"Such a bad reason."

"No arguments there."

They all shut up as the door to the room opened again. "Mr. Hayden, we didn't…"

Chris waved a hand at them, completely understanding what they were doing and why they were there. "I'd be joining you all if I could. I was actually looking for my daughter, any of you seen her?" He was looking around the room but couldn't see her as she had turned the chair behind the desk she was sitting at towards the wall when she heard the door open the first time.

"No, no one's in here besides us," Finn answered. "But we wouldn't mind helping you look. What does she look like? How old is she?" The others groaned at Finn's interest in finding the girl.

"Sorry, we haven't seen her Mr. Hayden. Have you checked the other rooms? The rest rooms?" The blonde girl asked.

Chris nodded. "I had one of the women check the ladies room for me. This was the last place to check; she must have gotten away somehow—the little sneak, I told her that if she was going to leave that she needed to take me with her!" Chris muttered the last part but the group heard him and laughed.

"You hate these things as much as we do?" Colin asked.

"Yes. I used to form sub-parties with my friends as well; pretty intense, lots of fun. It doesn't matter that my parents are playing host, probably the number one reason Rory left, it's still an awful time. Well if she's not in here I'll just find her tomorrow and yell at her for deserting me."

Right on cue Rory's phone rang and the entire group stopped talking at the sound of the Oompa Loompa song.

"Fruit of my loins!"

"Mommy dearest!" She answered in the same high pitched, over-caffeinated voice.

"Take that back! Take it back right now!" Lorelai yelled through the lines.

"Nope. You blew my cover! Thanks a lot!"

"Your cover? Hasn't your father been taking care of you? I told him not to leave you to the wolves! You're too young, too innocent, too pure. I didn't want them ruining you!"

"Don't you think Yale has done that already?" She posed the question with a smile.

"Not including naked boy, no."

"Oh! Speaking of naked boy, he's bartending here tonight."

"Clothed, right?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "Yes mother, clothed."

"Did I suddenly turn into my mother? Please say it isn't so!" Lorelai played up the drama.

"Sorry mommy," Rory said in her best little girl's voice.

"Better."

"What are you doing home without me?" Rory's voice portrayed the jealously she felt. She would much rather be at home with her mother then at this party, or whatever you wanted to call it.

"Luke's."

"Dirty!" Rory laughed. "Everything work out okay at the inn?"

"You know I'd do anything for coffee. Don't worry about the inn, you know Michel, can't handle anything alone."

"I know," Rory said with a nod. "Man, what I would do for a cup of coffee right now," she sighed. "Think Luke'll make me some when I get back?"

"And when would that be?"

Rory looked at her watch and groaned. "Mommy, it's only 8:30!" Rory knew that it was her obligation to stay for another hour and a half. "How did Grandma and Grandpa talk me into this again?"

"They baited you with your father."

"That's right! I'm going to have to talk to him about that!"

"Lorelai!"

"Oh, sorry hun, gotta go. I'm talking on my phone in the diner, Luke looks like he's going to explode!"

"The vein on his forehead?" Rory asked through her laughter.

"That's the one," Lorelai confirmed. "Don't take too long, okay? I still want that marathon. And be hungry!" Lorelai hung up the phone while Rory was still laughing.

"Miss Peacock, in the conference room with the candlestick," Christopher said as he turned the chair around.

"Took you long enough!" Rory was smiling at him as she placed her phone back in her bag and closed her book.

"You still bring a book everywhere you go?"

"Turned out to be a good idea tonight, now didn't it?" She looked at him sternly.

"Point. Now my darling daughter, let's go. The dancing has commenced and if my mother forces one more eligible lady in my direction I'm going to scream." He pulled her out of the chair and towards the door. "Have a good time kids!"

"Can we at least stop for another drink on the way?" Rory asked with a pout. She had a feeling the others were still watching them walk away and could hear her.

"Anything for my little girl and our sanity…" The only thing that could be heard was the laughter of the father and daughter as they walked back into the main room.


	2. Aren't You?

**Chapter 2: Aren't You?**

They were walking back to their room after one of the few classes they decided to attend when Logan decided he wanted some coffee. They were standing on line when Finn noticed the brunette at the head of the line both arguing and laughing with the man making the coffee.

"And defile the nectar of the gods?" He heard her ask in a rhetorical manner. "Never!"

"Sorry to offend you Rory, I wouldn't want to lose your business."

"I would think not!" She had a grin on her face and it sounded like they had this conversation regularly.

"You're going to single-handedly pay for the vacation I'm taking my girl on, you know." He was smiling at her playfully.

"You're welcome." Rory grinned at him. "How about an extra shot, on you, for all my business?"

"Finn…Finn! Rothschild!" Colin called out to his friend trying to get his attention. When Finn finally looked at him Colin cocked his head and stared at him steadily. "Where were you just now?" He looked to where Finn had been staring and smiled. "Found someone new huh? Not your typical red head."

Finn shook his head and might have said something but Logan cut in. "Wait a minute…isn't that Chris Hayden's daughter? What was her name again?" Logan seemed to think about it for a minute and when he couldn't come up with an answer called out to her, "Hayden! Hey! Hayden!" The girl was walking away from the coffee stand with her friend and didn't even turn around when Logan called out to her.

"Hey…isn't that the bartender?" Colin asked staring at the guy a little longer.

"Yeah! The one with the kickass margaritas!" Finn got excited thinking about the great drinks the young man made.

"Let's follow them," Colin suggested.

"Nah. Let's just get Huntz his coffee and head to the pub."

"The pub? But that's not where we were going," Colin said confused.

"We are now," Finn answered simply. Colin and Logan decided it was better not to argue and they waited impatiently for Logan to get his coffee.

**GGG**

Rory had gotten her free extra shot from one of her favorite coffee guys and was walking away with Marty, laughing about something, when she heard a somewhat familiar voice call out her father's last name. When people knew her as Christopher's daughter they always assumed that she was a Hayden, but Rory's legal name was Gilmore and she wasn't going to change it. She wasn't even thinking about hyphenating it. Her father's parents may have asked her to, but her father hadn't. He knew how important the Gilmore name was to Rory and how much she disliked his parents, with good reason he thought, so he was not going to force her to do something just for them. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about it recently since her father was becoming such a big part of her life. Her parents seemed like they were on the verge of dating…again, but she hadn't spoken about it with her mother and no idea how to approach the topic.

When she heard the voice call out Hayden Rory purposely ignored it. Anyone who knew her by that name was not someone she wanted to speak to.

"Are they talking to you?" Marty asked when he heard the name. He knew that Rory's father was Christopher Hayden—he actually knew the story behind her parents, the unabridged version and everything.

"If they think I'm a Hayden then they aren't people I want to speak with," she said with an attitude that Emily Gilmore would be proud of.

Marty was a bit taken aback by the society tone of voice she used, as if it was normal for her to speak that way. "Wow. Um…you do realize that was Logan Huntzberger calling your name, right?"

"So?" Rory had heard about him around the newspaper, apparently he was spoken of like a ghost. Rarely around unless he knew his father would be checking in some time soon—he tried hard not to royally piss off his father. Personally, Rory thought he was wasting a perfect good source of journalism knowledge. She'd kill to really pick Mitchum Huntzberger's brain. They had met once or twice when she was forced to attend a party with her grandparents but he never remembered her and she didn't truly mind. She wouldn't want him to play favorites because he knew her family. The Hayden and Gilmore names alone meant something to Hartford society, but together, well, she was a very powerful young lady. And she didn't care about it either.

Marty shook his head over Rory's nonchalance at Logan Huntzberger paying attention to her. "A lot of girls on this campus would die to have Logan Huntzberger calling after them."

She snorted. "I'm not one of those girls. Never have been and never will be. His money and status mean nothing to me."

"You'd sooner use him to get to his father, is that it?" Marty asked with a smile.

"Nope. I think he'd be pretty sick of people using him for his money or power or father or whatever. I wouldn't want to use him at all."

"Interesting." Marty watched her out of the corner of his eye as they continued to walk. "What are you going to do tonight?" They walked inside the dorm and stopped outside Rory's room.

"Probably just some homework or something. Nothing too amazing, I can promise that. Hopefully Paris and Doyle will keep to themselves."

"I thought Doyle was scared to come into your room now," Marty said, remembering how upset he had been when Rory yelled at him for taking off his sock in the middle of her common room while chastising her about something with the paper.

"Paris may have gotten him to change his mind, she can be quite…persuasive." They both laughed at that mild description of her roommate.

"Okay, well, should you want to do something, I'm upstairs…" Marty didn't have the guts to ask Rory out. He wanted to, badly, but he couldn't get up the nerve. The idea of being shot down by her hurt too much to even risk it.

"Will do. Later Marty." Rory smiled at him once more before opening the door and going inside. She had a pile of work and an article calling her name.

**GGGGGG**

"So Rory, how's school?"

"Just fine Grandpa," Rory answered with a smile. They were sitting in the parlor with her mother and grandmother waiting for dinner to be ready for yet another Friday night dinner.

"That's good. Big plans for the weekend?" He inquired further.

"Um, well, Paris wanted me to come back after dinner tonight. She's having trouble with her boyfriend," Rory told them.

"Really?" Lorelai looked at her daughter curiously. She was under the impression Rory was going to be in Stars Hollow this weekend.

"Yeah, sorry Mom. She had some big fight with Doyle and made me promise to come back to school after dinner, said something about wallowing and the pub…"

"Understandable," Lorelai said immediately.

"Dinner is ready." The maid's voice interrupted their somewhat awkward conversation.

They were situated at the table, enjoying their salads when Emily spoke up. "It looked like you and Christopher were having a good time last weekend," she commented.

Rory nodded. "It was fun, well at least the dancing with Dad part was fun. The rest of the evening I could have done without." She didn't hide her dislike of her paternal grandparents to the Gilmores, she rarely hid her displeasure with them from anyone, but she attended certain events to make her grandparents happy. "Mom will have to come next time."

Lorelai gave her a strained smile, suggesting that she wanted her daughter to shut up.

"Yes, maybe next time," Emily said primly. "I thought you were planning on going with Christopher this time Lorelai, what happened?" She knew that her daughter was starting some kind of relationship, again, with the father of her grandchild and wished that they would get their act together.

"There was an emergency at the inn, I couldn't leave. I promised Chris next time. We're actually going to dinner tomorrow night," Lorelai admitted reluctantly.

"Really?" Emily's smile grew at this piece of news. Rory raised her eyebrows at her mother and Lorelai just mouthed 'later'.

Dinner was finished with much less commotion and Rory and Lorelai were happy to get out of there relatively unharmed. "So you're having dinner with Dad tomorrow night?"

"I was going to tell you…really. It's just, your dad just called yesterday, he was upset I couldn't go with him last weekend. You're not upset, are you?"

"Of course not! My parents are actually dating, I'm loving it!" Rory grinned at her mom. "What do his parents think?" She made a face when thinking about them.

"Please, let's not think of them. Besides, who cares what they think? We're both adults, we don't need our parents permission to date."

"True, true." Rory looked at her watch and groaned. "I should probably head back. If I don't show up soon Paris will start calling and be ridiculously difficult to deal with."

"Even more so then usual?" Lorelai asked with a smile.

"Believe it or not, yes."

"Well just remember to drink a lot of water and put to aspirin on the nightstand."

"Thanks mom. Love you." They Gilmore girls headed to their cars, each heading for separate places to continue their evening. Rory was pulling into a spot on campus when the phone rang and she saw it was Paris. "I'm getting out of the car as we speak."

"Good!" Paris' voice was very loud, probably overcompensating for the noise from wherever she was.

"Paris? Where are you?" Rory asked definitely confused.

"I'm at the pub! Come down here!" Paris was loud and obviously drunk. Rory sighed.

"I should change first." She looked down at her outfit and decided it definitely wasn't acceptable for the campus pub.

"No! You'll be fine in whatever you're wearing!"

"Who are you there with?" Rory asked as she ignored Paris' demand to show up at that very moment and walked into her bedroom.

"Just some people I met here. I was going to wait for you but I decided one drink before you showed up wouldn't hurt. So here I am!"

Rory could hear a bunch of male voices and hoped that her friend could still think relatively straight. "I'll be there in ten minutes Paris, okay?"

"Okay!" Paris hung up the phone and Rory stared at her phone as she headed outside once again, this time trying to prepare herself for whatever scene she would find at the pub.

"Rory! Gilmore! GILMORE!" Paris shouted as she saw her friend walk through the door. She turned to the group of people she had befriended halfway through her second drink. "There she is, my roommate I mean, standing by the door. GILMORE!" Paris called out Rory's name again, this time catching her attention.

Rory started the trek across the pub to where Paris was sitting with a group of people she didn't even recognize. "Having fun?" She asked as she stood next to her friend. Someone pulled over a chair for her, next to Paris and she smiled at them. "Thanks." She took her coat and scarf off and looked at her friend, she had obviously had a few drinks. "What are you drinking?"

"Things go badly with the grandparents?" Paris asked. "You need to loosen up. Drink something!"

Rory rolled her eyes. Recently Paris' answer to everything wrong would be to drink. It wasn't a regular occurrence but it certainly was happening more than it used to. "What are you drinking?"

"Long Island Iced Tea!" She was obviously very satisfied with the drink.

She smiled, knowing that was her mom's signature drink. "I'll be back." Rory pushed her chair back and headed for the bar. "Gilmore!" She heard Paris call out to her and turned around. "Get me another?" Rory stared at her for a minute before making her way to the bar.

"What can I get you?" The man on the other side smiled at her.

"Two Manhattans, extra cherries, and one Long Island Iced Tea, only water it down a bit?"

"You friends with the blonde?" He asked with a smile as he nodded his head in Paris' direction while mixing the drinks.

Rory nodded. "How many has she had tonight?"

"This will make three I think."

"That's it?" Rory didn't think Paris was that much of a lightweight. He put the drinks in front of her and she smiled. "How much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it, on the house." He flashed her another smile and laughed as she downed one of the Manhattans. "Rough night?"

"Every Friday night is rough," she answered. "You make a good drink my friend, thanks." She took both drinks and headed back to the table, placing Paris' in front of her. "Try not to drink it in one gulp, will you?"

"So only Manhattans can be downed in one sip love?" The accented voice came from her left side and she turned to smile at whoever was there. She liked the way his voice sounded, wanted to hear him say something else.

"If they're made correctly, then yes."

They had started drinking around seven o'clock. Logan, Finn, Colin, Robert and Seth had started and were later joined by Stephanie, Rosemary and Holly. They noticed an uptight blonde come in and head to the bar, ordering the strongest drink she could think of and laughed at the face she made when taking the first sip. After watching that they couldn't help inviting her over to their table. After all, no one should drink alone, especially when they're trying to forget something, or usually as the case may be _someone_. The girl introduced herself as Paris and tried to tell them that her roommate would be joining her as soon as she got back from dinner with her grandparents so they shouldn't worry. Everyone insisted that the roommate could join their table, the more the merrier, so she should just relax. And Paris did just that. She had called her roommate about 25 minutes ago, trying to convince her not to change and no more than ten minutes ago started screaming across the bar. At first she tried the girl's name and then went for the last name. She noticed her friend immediately and made her way to them. It was to everyone's surprise when the girl who Paris had referred to both as Rory and Gilmore came to the table and had a close resemblance to the girl from not only the party last weekend but the coffee cart this week. When she went to the bar they started to murmur between them.

"That's her, isn't it?" Colin asked looking around at everyone.

"Looks like her," Robert confirmed, "but we didn't get a good look when she fled the room that night with her father."

"Who are you talking about?" Paris asked in the same whisper they were speaking of.

"Your friend…is she a Hayden?" Seth asked bluntly.

"Rory you mean?" Paris asked them.

"What other friend of yours just arrived love?" Finn asked with a grin. He was watching Rory out of the corner of his eye as she spoke with the bartender, who was obviously flirting with her, and downed one of the two drinks he figured they were Manhattans after what she had said last weekend she ordered for herself before returning to the table. He pulled a chair up for her, in between himself and Paris watching as she warned her friend not to drink the entire Long Island in one sip before whispering, "so only Manhattans can be downed in one sip love?"

She turned around, a wide smile on her face and answered in the same tone. "If they're made correctly, then yes."

"Finn Rothschild, doll." He held out his hand and registered the surprise on her face before shaking it.

"Rory Gilmore," she told him.

"So that explains it," Colin said randomly.

"What?" Rory turned around to look at the boy that she seemed to remember being referred to as Colin. After all, these kids were all the ones who formed a sub-party in the room she had been in last weekend. One of them happened to be Logan Huntzberger, who Marty had said was the one calling her Hayden this week. This would certainly be interesting…

"Why you didn't answer when we tried to catch your attention this week. You were walking away from the coffee guy with your friend the bartender," Logan said.

"Marty." Rory supplied the name for him.

"Huh?" Logan looked confused.

"That's his name. Marty." The look on his face didn't change. "The bartender I was walking with…his name is Marty."

"Oh." He finally got it. "Right. You were walking away with Marty and I tried to catch your attention, being that you looked familiar and all but you didn't answer. Why didn't you answer?" He asked her.

Rory shrugged. "You used the society only name, I didn't answer."

"What does that mean doll?" Finn asked her in the same soft accented tone that got her to turn and look at him with a shy smile on her face.

"The only people who only know me as Hayden are the people in society that meet me as Lorelai Hayden," she explained as if speaking to a small child. "It's only a handful of people mind you, the Gilmores don't force me to attend too many stupid events but it happens. And when they're not around to make the introductions I get introduced as Christopher Hayden's daughter, therefore it's assumed that I'm Lorelai Hayden, and I'm not but it's no use trying to correct them. People in society are trying to forget about my mother, always have been, they have no interest in me reminding them. It's much easier to play along like I'm a Hayden and love them or something." She finished the rest of her drink and stood. "Anyone want anything else?" She was going to need a lot more alcohol if these boys were going to make her talk about the Haydens.

"I'll come with you love." Finn stood and allowed her to lead the way over to the bar. "Not a fan of your father's parents I take it?" He asked when they reached the bar.

"Not quite," she confirmed.

"You're back!" The bartender's smile faltered when he saw Finn standing next to her but the man quickly recovered. "Finn! How are you?"

"Good Jon. Thanks."

"Two more Manhattans?" Jon asked turning his attention back to Rory.

She nodded. "You want anything?" She asked Finn.

"Three beers, a rum and coke, a Jack and coke and a White Russian," he told the bartender. Jon nodded and began making the drinks. He placed them in front of the pair and looked back up when he was finished.

"Anything else? Another Long Island for your blonde friend perhaps?" He smiled as he looked over at Paris adamantly fighting about something with Seth.

"I think she'll be okay for a while," Rory said. "Thanks though. How much do I owe you?" Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Finn about to say something and stepped on his toe with her heel to make sure he didn't. She smiled at Jon and tried to subtly throw him her doe eyes.

"Don't worry about it…" He was fishing for her name.

"Sorry! How rude, I'm Rory." She gave him another smile.

"Don't worry about it Rory, your drinks are on the house for the rest of the evening."

"Thanks Jon." He nodded and moved to another customer while Rory pulled out a ten-dollar bill and left it on the bar for him. Free drinks deserved that.

"Wow. That's impressive love." Finn smiled at her.

"Thanks." Rory shot him a smile and helped carry all the drinks to the table.

"Gilmore has drinks on the house for the rest of the night, make sure you give her your orders mates," Finn told everyone and they all cheered for her. "So, having fun doll?" He was making her slightly nervous but in a really good way.

"Much better then dinner with my grandparents," she said in the same soft tones he was using. _ This was definitely better then dinner with the grandparents…much more…entertaining_. Rory smiled at her thoughts and brought her attention back to the captivating Australian that had his arm around the back of her chair, fingers lightly brushing her elbow sitting next to her.


	3. You'll Never Believe What I Saw

**Chapter 3: You'll Never Believe What I Saw**

_Rory:_

_It's astounding_

_Time in fleeting_

_Madness takes its toll_

_But listen closely_

_Not for very much longer_

_I've got to keep control_

_Lane:_

_I remember doing the time warp_

_Drinking those moments when_

_The blackness would hit me_

_And the void would be calling_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Both:_

_It's just a jump to the left_

_And a step to the right_

_Put your hands on your hips_

_And bend your knees in tight_

_It's the pelvic thrust_

_That really drives you insane_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Lane:_

_It's so dreamy_

_Oh fantasy free me_

_So you can't see me_

_No not at all_

_In another dimension_

_With voyeuristic intention_

_Well secluded I see all_

_With a bit of a mind flip_

_You're into the time slip_

_And nothing can ever be the same_

_Well sweet startled sensation_

_Like you're under sedation_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Rory:_

_Well I was walking down the street_

_Just a having a think_

_When a snake of a guy gave me an evil wink_

_He shook me up he took me by surprise_

_He had a pick-up truck_

_And the devil's eyes_

_He stared at me and I felt a change_

_Time meant nothing, never would again_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Let's do the time warp gain_

_Both: _

_It's just a jump to the left_

_And a step to the right_

_Put your hands on your hips_

_And bend your knees in tight_

_It's the pelvic thrust_

_That really drives you insane_

_Let's do the time warp again_

_Let's do the time warp again_

"What in the world was that?"

The voice from the door made the two girls on the floor stop laughing and start screaming. Rory looked at Paris, then Lane, and back at Paris. "Make some noise or something next time!"

"What were you doing?" The people Paris was with were ignored as the roommates spoke.

"Watching a movie," Rory supplied, her voice clearly relaying that she was stating the obvious.

"And singing and dancing," Lane added, enjoying the annoyed look on the blonde's face. "Who are you with?" She looked to the people at the doorway that she didn't recognize.

Taking her eyes off of Paris for the first time, Rory realized her roommate wasn't alone and that she Rory actually recognized her guests. "You remember Holly, Robert and Colin, right Rory?" Paris asked. When Rory answered the question with a nod of her head, Paris continued. "Lane, these are new friends, Robert, Holly and Colin. Guys, this is Rory's best friend Lane. What are you doing here?" She asked the Korean girl, as if her presence was just noticed.

As Rory watched Paris and Lane she began thinking of how strange the situation was. All of their new "friends" were the society brats Rory hated and Paris had vowed to stay away from after graduating from Chilton. Particularly after her father had suffered an intense financial blow, Paris had made it clear she didn't want anything to do with society. But now she was apparently best friends with people like Holly Mathers, Colin McCrae and Robert Grimaldi, though Rory knew that there was something more going on between Paris and Robert. At least Doyle wouldn't be around anymore. Anyone was better than Doyle.

"Rory! Rory!" Lane's voice penetrated her thoughts.

"Huh?" Rory looked at her friend blankly.

"I'm sure Lorelai would love to know that your Chilton and Yale educated has taught you such an extensive vocabulary," Lane teased her friend at her very inarticulate answer.

"Shut up!"

"Good comeback."

"Thanks! I know!" The girls continued with their fighting, managing to get some words out in between their laughter.

"Do you think she forgot about us?" Colin asked his friends.

"Not likely," Holly answered. "Doesn't seem like the type."

"Are you four going to stand at the door all day or come inside and watch the movie?" Rory asked as she turned to see one of her favorite scenes begin and tuned the others out.

"I think Finn would enjoy this," Robert said as they sat down around the

television.

"Oh definitely. He has some obsession with this movie. It's always freaked me and Logan out," Colin told them.

They continued to watch the movie, laughing as Lane and Rory not only sang alone to every song but recited most of the lines perfectly. That is when they weren't talking about it in between. Once the movie finished the girls vanished before a dinner invitation, which Paris turned down because of schoolwork, could be issued.

"You will never believe what we saw this afternoon," Holly announced as they joined the others in "their" booth at the pub.

"Well…you were with Geller, so anything is possible…" Paris never missed the opportunity to tell Logan what she really thought of him.

"We walked in on Rory and her friend doing The Time Warp," Colin blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Steph asked looking confused as Finn started to laugh.

"The Time Warp…" Holly started.

"You know doll, _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_?" Finn tried to help out. "Great flick. Were they signing and dancing too?"

"You would have loved it," Colin told him. "They even knew the words."

"Such a great movie. Totally wasted on you though," Finn said with a shake of his head. Colin didn't appreciate the movie and he had a hunch that Holly and Robert didn't either.

"No arguments here," Robert agreed. It was a weird movie.

"Do you even remember anything about the movie?" Holly asked with her own smirk. Robert's lack of answer got them all laughing.

It was then that the door to the pub opened and two loud, happy singing voice interrupted their conversation. "What in the hell?" Colin grumbled as they all turned to the source of the noise.

_And I need you tonight_

_And I need you more than ever_

_And if you only hold me tight_

_We'll be holding on forever_

_And we'll only be making it right_

'_Cause we could never be wrong together _

_We can take it to the end of the line_

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time_

_I don't know what to do_

_I'm always in the dark_

_We're living in a power keg and giving off sparks_

_I really need you tonight_

_Forever's going to start tonight_

_Forever's going to start tonight_

_Once upon a time I was falling in love_

_Now I'm only falling apart_

_There's nothing I can do_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

_Once upon a time there was light in my life_

_And now there's only love in the dark_

_There's nothing I can say_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

They were all surprised to see not only Rory and her friend Lane, but two blondes they didn't recognize, each wrapping an arm around one of the girls. Both guys were grinning as their girl was singing, Rory more off key then Lane, loudly with smiles on their faces.

"Gilmore!" Colin called out to her.

Rory looked over to see Colin, and the entire crew, across the pub. Laughing at whatever the blonde said, she said something to Lane before she and her blonde friend approached the group. "I think you're following me McCrae."

"Oh really?" Colin raised his eyebrows at her.

"You need me to take care of him for you Mary?" The blonde removed his around from her shoulder and cracked his knuckles in a manly show of strength and power.

Rory looked over at him with a grin. "Actually…now that you mention it…" She laughed at both the scared and confused look on Colin and Finn's faces and the grin of amusement on Tristan's.

"Anything for you, you know that."

"Who's G.I. Joe?" Steph asked Rory.

"Oh. Tristan these are some new acquaintances."

"Acquaintances? Ouch love, that hurts."

"Sorry Finn. Tris, meet Steph, Logan, Colin, Robert, Holly and Finn. Everyone, this is an old 'friend' of mine Tristan DuGrey."

"I'm hurt Mary. I thought we were so much more than friends." He hit her with puppy dog eyes that only made her laugh.

"Her name isn't Mary mate," Finn pointed out in a harsher tone then he had planned.

"Oh, he knows it. In the three years we've known each other he's just never been able to remember it!"

"Military school didn't help either," Tristan added. "Without the constant reminder of who you really were Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, I could only remember you as my sweet Mary." He was smirking at her while he finished he sentence.

"That doesn't surprise me," Rory said. "It looks like Lane and Zach are getting antsy, we better go join them. I'll talk to you later." Rory smiled as she led Tristan away and towards the couple waiting for them.

"He likes you," Tristan said as they sat down.

"Excuse me?" Rory's head snapped up from the menu she was reading to stare at Tristan.

"The one with the accent who asked who I was—"

"Finn?" Rory interrupted.

Tristan nodded. "Yes, Finn. He likes you. Definitely was not happy to see you with me."

"Do you know them?" Lane asked him.

"I knew Colin and Logan when we were younger. They were sent away to boarding school and Finn 'took my spot'. I didn't mind though." It actually sounded like he meant that too.

"Are they decent?" Rory asked him. She had been seeing a lot more of the group but she still knew very little about them.

"Well they are known as players," Tristan told her. "Really good guys, very nice and all, but as far as dating them, well…they don't do girlfriends. The girls don't typically have boyfriends either," he said while thinking about Steph and Holly.

"That's sad," Rory said.

"Why?" Tristan was looking at his menu now, noticing the waiter approaching the table.

"Because it means they're so jaded by the society ways that they can't tell if the person likes them or their money. Not to mention not wanting to let their defenses down."

"How do you know that?" Zach asked.

"She knows me," Tristan said playfully.

"Lucky me," Rory said sarcastically.

"Ouch! That hurts Gilmore!"

Rory and Tristan had reconnected about a year and a half ago when her grandparents had dragged her to a stupid party. A stupid party that happened to be in honor of Janlan DuGrey's, Tristan's grandfather, birthday. Being Janlan's favorite grandson, Tristan came back to the loathed town of Hartford. He had been one of the few people under 40 at the party and soon enough Tristan and Rory were engrossed in conversation about everything—starting with how military school had changed him. They ended the evening by exchanging email addresses. Two months later Tristan drove up from Princeton for a proper Gilmore girls movie night and they had been good friends ever since. Even though she still called him ET, Lorelai loved him and the nickname made him feel like he was part of a family. After that they were always seeing each other. Paris thought it was unbelievable—but Rory decided she was jealous. As often as she denied it, it seemed that Paris still had her high school crush on Tristan DuGrey.

Relieving her mind of thoughts of Paris, Rory returned her attention to her friends trying to ignore the green eyes she felt staring her from across the room.

**GGGGGG**

"Where are you going?" Paris asked as she watched Rory unpack her suitcase again.

"I told you—I don't know; Tristan won't say." Rory once again studied her collection of 'clothes for any occasion' and let out a frustrated growl. Tristan refused to tell her where they were going or what they'd be doing so she needed a little bit of everything plus the necessities all of which didn't fit in her suitcase. "I need a bigger suitcase," Rory complained she headed into the kitchen to make coffee. As she passed by the door someone knocked and she opened it while continuing to the kitchen but beginning a conversation since she figured that it was Tristan at the door. "My suitcase isn't big enough; either you get me a bigger one, let me bring more than one OR make things easier on both of us and tell me where we're going so I can pack for one location instead of six or seven. Then again, you went to military school, those muscles need to be put to use—good use—and I'm not talking about impressing wanna-be-Barbie. We should really work on getting you together with someone with an actual IQ. What am I talking about? I'm going to repack and you'll just carry my bag, okay Tris? Thanks!" She headed back into her room to repack while sipping at her coffee.

"She's going away too?" Robert asked.

Paris nodded. "Tristan's taking her somewhere but he'll only tell her for how long. She has no idea what to pack—not a good idea for a Gilmore girl."

"What isn't?" Tristan entered the room without bothering to knock. "Grimaldi, Rothschild." He greeted the others in the room.

"DuGrey," they both responded.

"Tristan Janlan DuGrey!" Rory screamed.

"The Mrs seems mad," Paris said with sarcasm laced in her voice and a grin on her face.

"Shut up Geller," Tristan answered as he moved towards Rory's room. "You rang Mary?"

"Why in the hell can't you tell me where we're going?"

"I told you three nights, four days, and you need your passport. What more do you want?" They could hear the amusement in Tristan's voice.

"Location, location, location!" Rory screamed at him. "Okay!" She said finally. "Take that!" She headed to the kitchen, figuring he would follow with her bag.

"Geez woman! What did you pack? It's only for four days."

"I packed for four days…" Rory argued, "…in six different regions! Remember that includes shoes too. You realize you could have made this a lot easier on yourself, right?"

"I'm not telling you where we're going Mary."

"Mean!" Rory finished another cup of coffee and went to throw something out when she screamed. "Amazing! Tristan, put the bag down!" She ran into her room and appeared again with a pair of shoes.

"It was under the sink?" Paris asked surprised. "I checked there!"

"Not well enough apparently." Rory unzipped the bag and began looking for something. "Double damn!" She mumbled as she continued searching.

"Is it even possible that you forgot to pack something kitten?" For the first time that afternoon Finn spoke and it caused Rory to not only scream but fall backwards.

"And another girl falls at your feet Finn. How do you do it?" Robert asked him with a grin.

"I'm exotic mate," Finn said as if it were obvious. "Are you okay kitten?" Rory had yet to move from her spot on the floor and was simply staring at him. "What are your shoes doing in the kitchen cabinets? Do you keep your food in the closet?"

Rory stared at him, a little taken aback and unable to speak at the moment. She looked around the room, finally noticing Robert before speaking to Tristan. "Do you have room in your suitcase? Go get it!" She laughed as Tristan left and turned to Finn. "What are you doing here? How long have you been here? No, there aren't usually shoes in the cabinets typically they're in the oven or microwave…"

"That's true…" Paris added.

"And there's only food in my closet when I think it's something Paris or Doyle would eat."

"Could you _not_ mention his name? It's bad enough I have to see and speak to him at the paper!" Paris had a disgusted look on her face.

"Now you know how I felt when you were dating. Not to mention the time or two you decided not to make it to your room and didn't bother to warn me. I'm still scarred over that," Rory argued. "Can we please stop this discussion? I'm going to loose my appetite. And considering the last meal we're going to have in this country is going to be really good and really big I'd rather that NOT happen."

"Where are you going? Can we come?"

"Go where?" Tristan inquired as he reentered the room, took the few things Rory had pulled out and packed them with his stuff.

"Thanks Tris." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, causing him to smile.

"Anything for you Mary."

"Seriously, screw each other and get it over with already!" Paris yelled at them.

"How many times do I have to tell you Paris that I'm not Tristan's type? I'm neither plastic nor lacking an IQ. It would never work between us, I wouldn't humor him." Rory laughed at Tristan's face.

"Gilmore was telling us about a big fancy dinner you're taking her to since it's her last meal in the country. We want to come along." Robert filled Tristan in on the conversation.

"Really?" Tristan raised his eyebrows at Rory.

"Yup," she answered knowing he was speaking more to her then the guys.

"And why would I be doing that?"

"Because you won't tell me where we're going and I'm not getting on a plane that will take lord knows how many hours to reach its final destination without getting a decent meal beforehand. Airplane food is simply awful and I know that you don't want to deal with a starved Gilmore girl now do you?"

Tristan's face changed to one of alarm and immediately he grabbed both his and Rory's bags. "Come on, let's go." He looked at the other guys. "You coming? A starving Gilmore is something that no one should ever purposely deal with. Trust me." They all laughed as Robert bid Paris goodbye and left for lunch.


	4. Location, Location, Location

**Chapter 4**: **Location, Location, Location**

"Are we there yet?" Rory whined. She felt like she and Tristan had been on the plane for hours.

"Almost Mary, almost."

"Tristan!" They had taken his family's plane, Tristan not wanting her find out where they were going.

"I swear!" He crossed his heart. "Why don't you read or study or something? I know you brought books with you."

With a huff she dug inside of her carry-on for her book and started reading. She was so engrossed in the story that she didn't notice when they first started to descend. "We're here!" She shouted when she felt the jolt caused by dropping in the air.

"About a half hour away," Tristan confirmed.

"Are you going to tell me where we are yet?" She asked, as impatient as ever.

"Soon. You'll find out soon enough."

"A half hour is too long!"

"Be quiet! I fed you before we took off and everything."

"So? What's food got to do with it?"

"Don't even think about it!" He knew where she was going to take the comment and didn't want to go there.

"What?" She asked, innocently batting her eyelashes.

"I know what you were going to do, please just remember that Diana Ross sang that song and it **should** stay that way."

"Hey!" She slapped his arm and he continued laughing. "We're here!" She screamed as soon as the plane landed and came to complete stop. She threw off her seat belt and pulled at his hand. "Come on, come on! Let's go!" Tristan groaned as he followed her off of the plane and ran right into her, not realizing she had stopped. "Where are we?" She asked in shock.

"Um…The Caribbean?" Tristan played along.

"The Caribbean!" Rory shouted, smiling as she turned to look at him. "I've never been here before, where are we?"

"Costa Rica," he answered.

"Sweet! Come on! Let's go!" She grabbed his hand and started dragging him along.

"Do you even know where you're going?" He asked with a smirk.

She took a second to glare at him over her shoulder. "I figure there will be someone out there holding a sign with your name on it, am I wrong?"

He groaned. "You're a real bitch sometimes, you know that?"

"Yup. Thank you." She threw him a smile. "Look! I was right!" She headed towards the man with the sign and laughed as she heard Tristan growl. "What are we doing this weekend anyway."

"Another surprise." Tristan said, happy that he could draw this out for her. She hated waiting for surprises.

"Come on, just tell me!" They were getting into the car at this point, Rory unable to sit still and bouncing around in her seat.

"My lips are sealed," he said with a grin before moving his fingers across his mouth as if zipping his lips and then tossed the key over his shoulder. It was one of the many differences in his character since reconnecting with Rory and subsequently Lorelai. It didn't matter that she was 36 and her daughter 20—they still acted like kids. Their juvenile behavior was something that took him some time to get used to but he quickly figured out befriending the Gilmore girls gave him the perfect chance to have the childhood he was denied. He may be 20 years old but he was finally allowed to have fun. He could run and shout and play in the mud (though Gilmore girls don't run they don't mind playing in the mud) and not get in trouble. Military school had certainly helped to mellow him, but by being friends with Rory he could regress back to childhood without being yelled at. Plus he was careful in what he did since he never wanted to look bad in front of these girls. Forgetting his thoughts for a minute, Tristan turned to look at the unusually quiet Rory Gilmore, who was now glaring at him. He laughed, only getting a more intense death glare, enjoying keeping the weekend plans from her. Truthfully though, he had kept them from her because he didn't think she'd agree to come along if he told her what was going on.

A short time later the car came to a stop and he smiled. "Come on Mary, time to find out what's happening." He helped her out of the car and held her hand as he walked inside.

"DuGrey! It took you long enough!" A male voice rang out the minute they reached the lobby.

He felt Rory's questioning gaze on him, but ignored it for a minute. "Sellers. How are you? I'm not late, you're all just early!"

The guy called Sellers snorted. "Right, everyone else is early and you're late, the world just revolves around you, is that it?" He said with a laugh.

"Of course it does," Rory interjected with her own grin, "this is Tristan we're talking about." Tristan looked at her, surprised that she'd spoken up (with the glare on her face he thought he'd have to do some major groveling before she'd calm down) and would have said something but wasn't quick enough.

"Oh trust me, I know all about DuGrey's twisted delusions—we've lived together for two years now."

"Zach?" Rory asked with another smile.

"Well this isn't fair, the pretty lady knows me but I still don't know who she is."

Once again Tristan would have made introductions but was unable to get a word in. "Lorelai Leigh Gilmore III-Hayden."

"I thought it was Gilmore-Hayden III?" Tristan asked, finally able to get a word in the conversation.

She shrugged. "Sometimes, but mom and I decided to try it this way."

She and Lorelai were experimenting with different names? Interesting…he'd have to explore that later.

"Rory!" Zach exclaimed, finally understanding who the girl with his roommate was. "Good to finally meet you, you're even prettier then your pictures."

"Lay off Sellers," Tristan warned.

"Hey! Who says you get a say?" Rory asked defensively. "If Zach wants to lay on the compliments far be it for you to interject!"

"He's my roommate."

"It's _my_ life," Rory argued. "Besides, isn't he dating…um…Tiffany?"

"Oh that was over before it began," Zach told her. "I'm hoping to meet someone new this weekend." He looked around the lobby with a smile. "There are some definite possibilities, but no offense Rory, you're just a little too far away for my taste."

"None take," she reassured him. "I'm not a fan of the long distance relationship either."

"DuGrey! You're here! Finally!! Did you bring her?" Two other guys and a girl approached the trio.

"I'm touched, you missed me," Tristan said dramatically. "Yes I brought her—I told you I would. And she does have a name you know."

"Oh, I know," the blonde whose cocky attitude reminded her of Logan said.

"Ignore these morons," Tristan said as he looked at Rory. "Mary, meet Jacob, Tony and Angie. They all go to school with me. Guys, and girl," Tristan added knowing how Angie felt about being lumped with the guys, "this is Rory."

"Lorelai Leigh Hayden," Jacob said with a smile. He looked like he might have planned to say something more but Rory cut him off.

"Actually, it's Lorelai Leigh Gilmore III-Hayden. Thanks." She smiled prettily at him, batted her eyelashes and Tristan laughed. He knew that look, she didn't like Jake. It didn't surprise him though—she didn't like _him_ when they were at Chilton and most of the time Jake acted like a slightly more mature version of Tristan's 16-year-old self.

"Ignore him, he's a jackass most of the time. It's great to meet you Rory, I'm Angie, you'll be staying with me."

Rory sent Tristan a slightly nervous look and he squeezed her hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. She knew Tristan would explain later and smiled at Angie. "It's nice to meet you too."

"And I'm Tony," the last of the three spoke up and smiled at her. His voice wasn't as rough as she would have expected it to be and for a moment she was caught up in his green eyes. Rory tried to figure out what it was about those eyes and then realized they made her think of Finn. Finn who she'd left behind in New Haven after a very amusing lunch with him, Robert and Tristan. Finn who she was developing a weird attraction to. Finn who was definitely _not_ her usual type.

"Hi Tony." Rory shook his hand and smiled at him. "Now that the warm and fuzzy part is over and we all know each other would _someone_," she looked pointedly up at Tristan, "please explain what's going on?"

"You mean you don't know?" Angie asked, surprised.

"Know what?" Rory looked at the other girl.

"Tristan!" Angie slapped him.

"There wasn't enough time," he tried to defend himself.

"I don't believe that for a second; you had an entire plane ride if nothing else. Oh well," Angie sighed and looked at Rory, "I do wish we had time to explain more but the three of us came out to look for the two of you. Alex is getting annoyed, you may not come out of this meeting alive DuGrey."

Tristan chuckled. "I've got Mary here, she wouldn't let anything happen to me. Would you babe?" He threw an arm around her shoulder with a grin.

Rory rolled her eyes and pretended to think about it. "I guess not," she answered sounding a bit reluctant.

"Your loyalty is heart wrenching Mare, really."

Rory grinned at him evilly. "After all I don't think Miss Patty and Babette would ever forgive me if something happened to you." Tristan shuddered and the others laughed.

"Wow, that sounds like a story we need to hear, but later. Let's go!" Jake led the group down the hotel corridor knocking on one door in which Rory knew had to be a secret code "knock" before they were granted admittance and the door opened.

"DuGrey! Do you know what time it is?" Alex's voice boomed.

"Nope, sorry, we didn't wear watches today," Tristan answered in his typical smart mouth manner which Rory was convinced was going to get him in trouble this time.

"Sorry, it was my fault," she spoke up from her spot behind him. Tristan looked back at her, pleasantly surprised that she spoke up for him—there was no way Alex could continue yelling at him now—he'd probably even apologize and Tristan couldn't wait; Alex _never_ apologized. He winked at her at her quickly before turning back to Alex.

"And who are you exactly?" He asked.

Rory was slightly intimidated and trying not to let it show, lucky for her Jake answered for her. "Alex, this is Lorelai Leigh Gilmore III-Hayden," he paused and looked back at Rory, "did I get it right this time?" At her nod and smile he turned back to the front. "She goes by Rory however, well, unless you're Tristan and then you can call her Mary."

"Mary? Why is that?"

"Absolutely none of your business," Rory snapped before Tristan could say anything. Looking at her closely, Tristan rocked back on his heels with a grin, knowing Alex was finally going to be put in his place. "I don't know who you think you are and why you think you have the right to be some controlling ass to Tristan, and me—not to mentioned the others—but it's unacceptable." Her voice was extremely haughty.

"Okay, tell me, who'd you pick that voice up from?" Tristan interrupted her tirade. "Francine or Emily?"

Rory's entire demeanor changed as she turned to Tristan and grinned. "More Emily but I threw in a little Francine, what'd you think?"

"I think you should call Lorelai and freak the hell out of her!"

Rory began laughing with him, ignoring everyone who was staring at them. "Oh no!" She said as she stopped laughing suddenly. "No, no, no! Tristan, give me your phone!"

"My phone? Why don't you use yours? You're a Gilmore and a Hayden, you can afford the bill."

"Tristan Janlan!" Rory said in her warning voice.

He sighed before reaching into his pocket for his phone and extending it to her. "Hit number six."

"Aw, the crap shack is on your speed dial?" She became sweet Rory again as she waited for her mother to answer.

"The reigning Lorelai speaking, how may you serve me?"

Rory and Tristan (who heard Lorelai's greeting) laughed. "Hi Mom."

"Fruit of my loins! Is that ET I heard? Where are you? Are you two coming home to visit Mommy this weekend?"

"Yes that was Bible Boy," Rory said as she started to wander around the room without realizing everyone was staring and listening.

"I sense a but, is there a but?"

"Yes Mom, there is a but."

"You're not coming here, are you? You two no longer love me, do you?"

"Of course that's it Mom, Tristan and I decided we couldn't handle you anymore so we're not only not coming to visit you but we're going to elope and not invite you." She looked at him and winked—he laughed.

"You're eloping huh? Can I be there when you tell my parents? And your father's? Oooo, can I be there when you tell _his_ parents? Pretty, pretty please? With a cherry on top!" Even though she was a Gilmore and a Hayden, the DuGrey's didn't approve of her because she was illegitimate.

"Why does it sound like you don't want to be there for moral support?" Rory questioned.

Lorelai laughed and then stopped. "Wait. You're not _really_ eloping, are you?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "No mother, we're not _really_ eloping. Tristan has kidnapped me and brought me to Costa Rica for the weekend—"

"No fair! How come he didn't kidnap me?"

"Because you left Hartford when you were 17 and never came back? Had you stayed you would have had rich friends to kidnap you to far away lands you need your passport to get to."

"You're a snob."

"Yeah, well, you're prejudice! And judgmental!"

"Your grandparents are paying a lot of money for you to go to Yale young lady—learn bigger words Mommy doesn't understand!"

"Yes Mommy," Rory replied dutifully.

"When are you and Bible Boy coming to visit?"

"Bible Boy?" Rory called out form the front of the room. She was sitting on the stage, not paying attention, legs swinging and completely missing Alex's slight glare in her direction.

"Yes Mare?" He called back while moving towards her.

"The reining Lorelai wants to know when we're coming to the Crap Shack."

Tristan thought for a minute before answering. "Three weeks?"

"Did you hear that mom?"

Lorelai huffed. "You'll be here before that, won't you?"

"Of course." When Rory saw Tristan standing in front of her she suddenly remembered where they were and turned bright red. "Mom, I gotta go, call Tristan's cell if you need me. I'll call you when I'm back in New Haven. I love you!" She hung up the phone and handed it to Tristan. "Sorry Alex." Rory looked over at him and smiled. "So can someone _please_ tell me what's going on?"

"Lorelai," Alex began.

"Rory," she interrupted.

He glared at being interrupted and started over. "Rory, have you ever heard of The Life and Death Brigade?" Her head snapped up and she stared at Tristan wide eyed. "I'll take that as a yes," Alex said and continued. "You are now in a room filled with the Princeton chapter; during the next 12 hours the entire hotel will be filled with the Bridge—all chapters."

"How many people?" She asked softly.

"About 600," Tristan told her.

"Yale?" He nodded and she paled slightly. Even if they wouldn't admit it Rory knew Logan, Colin, Finn, Steph, Robert, Holly and Seth were all members. As she thought of Finn though, she smiled. "That's why Robert couldn't tell Paris where he was going," she said more to herself then anyone else. Tristan nodded in agreement with her statement and Alex decided he could get on with the ceremony.

"As we're sure you're aware, your family bloodlines are extremely blue—but you are also legacy of Princeton and Yale." Rory rolled her eyes not liking the Hayden association. "Though you are not a Princeton student, the Haydens and Gilmores are Brigade founders which entitles you to official membership to both chapters."

"Excuse me?"

"You are to be inducted to the Princeton and Yale chapters of the LDB Rory. Our induction is now-Yale is doing something later tonight."

"You'll be there?" She asked Tristan.

He shook his head. "I can't Mary," he said reluctantly.

"What?" She looked scared—that was certainly not want she wanted to hear.

"I'm not a Yale member."

"Why does that matter? It's all LDB, isn't it?"

"Each chapter runs slightly different; unless you're a member of that chapter you can't go to their meetings. The only exception is the master of rituals for each school. Alex is the MOR at Princeton," Tristan told her.

Rory nodded. Looking around the room she knew there was no way out of this. "Okay," she said with a deep breath, "what now? And there better be lots of alcohol after and when I say lots, I mean copious and copious amounts—maybe even a pretty pink flask with my name in pink glitter on it."

Tristan nodded. "No alcohol until after Yale's induction but I'll work on the flask for you. All four initials?" She shook her head. "Got it. Now let's get started." He nodded at Alex, the door locked and Rory's Princeton induction for the LDB began.

**GGGGGGGGGG**

Three hours later she was sitting in the hotel lobby sipping at her glass of wine. Tristan said she was only allowed one glass and Rory believed him. "You okay?" he asked taking a seat next to her.

"Aren't you supposed to be working on my pretty pink flask with my name in pink glitter?"

"Don't worry, you'll have it in a few hours."

"I better."

"Gilmore! You're here!" A familiar voice called out.

"Hey Steph, how are you?"

"Great! Do you know they _just_ told me we were inducting you tonight? Oops! Did you know that? If you didn't please forget I said anything."

"Don't worry Steph, I know." Rory smiled, knowing they probably didn't say anything to Steph earlier because she wouldn't have been able to keep it a secret. "Where's everyone else?"

Steph shrugged. "Vanderbilt! Here you are!" Holly came over to them. "Rory! How are you?"

"Good Holly, you?"

"Just fine. Steph escaped from us, I need to bring her back, sorry. See you later!" Holly pulled Steph up, leading her away while Steph protested loudly. "But she said she already knew!" They heard Steph yell as Holly dragged her down the hall.

"They'll take good care of you," Tristan said as the girls disappeared.

Rory nodded. "I know, it's just weird."

"Induction wasn't so bad, was it?"

'No, fairly painless."

Tristan laughed. "Good." He watched her for a minute before continuing. "So…Finn…"Rory looked up at him strangely. "Don't play that game with me Mary, I know you, remember? You met Tony and were stunned because you thought of Finny. You realized you like him, didn't you?"

"It's a little soon for me to have feelings for Tony, no?" Rory purposely misunderstood his question.

"Mary!" He scolded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while messing up her hair with his other hand. "You know I was talking about your feelings for Finn."

"I hardly know him," she argued.

"So? That doesn't mean you can't like what you know and want to know more, does it?" Tristan goaded.

"It doesn't mean that!"

"So?"

"You are aggravating, anyone ever told you that before?"

"Yeah, they have. I ignored my parents then and I'll ignore you now—though you say it with much more love then they ever said anything." Tristan had no idea what made him say that but he instantly regretted it for no other reason then the look on her face. "But let's forget about them and talk about Finny. More specifically, your feelings for Finn."

"Tris…"

"You have them, don't deny them."

"It's not worth it with you. Yes, okay, yes, I like him! I can't help it! That accent! And those eyes! Tristan have you seen those eyes?"

He laughed, it wasn't very often one could get Rory to gush like a school girl but when she did it was priceless. "Yes, I have seen those eyes. I believe I'm partial to blue ones myself though."

Rory laughed. "You know what I mean." Tristan nodded. "And he'll be here all weekend?" Again he nodded.

"You aren't going to do anything about it, are you?" He asked, slightly disappointed.

"You know the Gilmore girl rule…"

"Yeah, yeah…he has to make the first move. Every move after that is fair game but the first one is all him." He rolled his eyes. "A little archaic, no? I thought this was the age of women's lib."

"It is…just not in this aspect of my life. I thought guys would like it this way."

"Just more pressure; especially since we never know what you women are thinking."

"Love!"

"Speaking of the devil," Tristan muttered while Rory blushed and slapped him.

"Hey Finn," Rory said as he got closer to where she and Tristan were sitting, "funny running into you here."

"Who can resist Costa Rica?"

"Not many," Rory said.

"Hey mate," Finn greeted Tristan, "mind if I steal her from you for a little while?"

"Hey! Don't I get a say!" She protested the conversation about her going on _around_ her.

"I expect her back in one piece," he told Finn, ignoring Rory and her protests. "And be careful, she tends to steal phones and make trans-Atlantic phone calls with them. She also eats a lot and talks really fast. She is obsessed with movies too. And she reads _constantly_, even smells the books sometimes. And there's also the sarcasm…"

"TRISTAN!" Rory slapped him as Finn laughed.

"Oh, and man, don't forget the abuse."

Rory growled. "Feisty!" Finn said with a grin. "I like it, it's hot. Come on love, no matter what DuGrey says I'm sure you're wonderful." He took her hand and pulled her off the lobby couch and down the hall with him.

"Don't forget my flask Bible Boy! Pink with my initials, LLG, in pink glitter. Fill it too! And have another drink, _for me_," she stressed, "when I finish here!" She called her directions out until she and Finn were too far away.

"So love, having a good time?" His arm was now around her shoulders.

"It's been…weird," she answered honestly. "I know why we're here Finn, who's the MOR?" She really wanted this over so she could drink.

"MORE? What are you speaking of?" He looked at her blankly.

"Don't play with me—you're only slightly tipsy I can see that. And that's probably because of what's going to happen when we go through whatever door you're taking me to."

"Not true, even totally blitzed I'd be able to remember ravishing you behind closed doors." He grinned at her shocked expression.

"Dirty!" She replied.

"I like you love." Finn grinned at her. "You ready?" He knew she knew but he had to pretend she didn't or at least he didn't know she knew. Finn stopped with his hand in the air, ready to knock on the door, and looked at her one more time, this time recognizing how nervous she looked. "There's nothing to be scared of kitten," he tried to reassure her. "I know your best mate can't be here to calm you down this time, but I'll do my best, okay?" He smiled at her, catching her eyes and holding them for a minute before deciding to do it. He leaned down and kissed her, it was an innocent kiss but packed a lot of punch. "Better now?" He asked as he moved away, licking his lips smiling at her stunned face. Figuring she would come to when they went inside the room he lifted his hand again but this time she put hers on top of his in order to stop him.

"You realize you only made me more nervous, right?" She gave him a shaky smile before leaning over and kissing him—actually licking his lips before kissing him, smiling against his mouth when he moaned.

Before Finn had time to collect himself Rory knocked on the door—having been taught the LDB knock at her Princeton induction.

Finn stared at her harder now—even more surprised—pulling himself together when the door opened. "Don't think this is close to over love," he muttered, stepping into the room before her.

"Oh, I don't…" She let out an evil laugh before moving inside and trying to prepare herself for whatever would come next.


	5. Mama Mia

**Chapter 5: Mama Mia**

Rory's induction to the Yale LDB was much more intense then she would have thought. Fittingly, Colin was the MOR, but since she would be more active in the Yale chapter then the Princeton one, it was much more involved (or so she thought). Of course, it also felt longer because not only was she dying to tell her mother (and Tristan) about her kissing Finn, but said exotic man had been staring at her with a knowing smile the entire time. The second the induction was over she pulled out her cell phone and left the room needing to talk to her mother. As she waited for the call to go through she was also looking for Tristan—she needed him right now too.

"Welcome to the Crap Shack and thank you for calling. If you'd like to hear our hours please press one; if you'd like to make a reservation please press two; if you'd like to speak with the hostess please press three. If none of these options suit you, you obviously have the wrong number, hang up and try again."

"Mommy," Rory greeted in a slightly whiny tone.

"Daughter of mine! Twice in one day while you're in the Caribbean no less! What happened" Lorelai asked worriedly once her own words sunk in.

"We kissed! Twice! It was perfect too! Amazing! Mommy what do I do?"

"What? You kissed? Who? Give me some more information here kid! Who did you kiss? Tristan? I'll kill him! I told him he wasn't allowed to…"

"What? No! Not Tristan! And what do you mean you told him he wasn't allowed to kiss me?"

"Don't worry about it, it's not important right now. Now tell me who you kissed. A hot local?"

"No! Finn!" Rory yelled into the phone, her distress growing exponentially.

"Finn? What's a Finn?" Lorelai asked confused.

"Not a _what, _a _who_, Finn's a who."

"Okay then, who's Finn?"

"My friend from Yale?"

"Why do you sound unsure of that? Is he not your friend or not from Yale?"

"Oh, he's from Yale," Rory told her, "I just…well…I guess we're friends now, but before, I wasn't quite sure. He was just someone I ran into a few times."

"What is he doing there?"

"The same reason Tristan dragged me down. Now is that really important? What about the fact that we kissed twice?" Rory was slightly panicked.

"Wait! Is this the exotic one?" Lorelai interrupted. "Australian?"

"Yes! Him!"

"Oh, he has a sexy voice!"

"Yes mom. And he kissed me tonight. Then I kissed him."

"Was it good?"

"Amazing."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Rory?"

At the sound of her name Rory turned around and saw Angie smiling at her. "Hey Angie."

"There's a big party tonight…"

"Angie? Who's Angie? What aren't you telling Mommy Rory?"

"Mom, be quiet! Sorry Angie, what are you saying?"

"There's a big party, a formal, all your stuff is in our room if you want to shower and get changed, it starts in a half hour but we definitely don't need to be on time. Since you don't know the room number or have a key I thought I'd come get you…"

"Thanks, just let me hang up. Mom? I've got to go. I'll call you Monday after class. Love you." Rory hung up the phone and looked at her new friend. "Okay, let's go."

"You and your mom are really close, huh?"

Rory blushed. "Yeah, we are, but that call was in crisis mode."

"Crisis mode? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I think so…" Rory answered slowly. "Hey, you seen Tristan lately?"

"Off somewhere with the guys I think."

"He better not forget my flask."

"Flask?" Angie asked confused.

"Don't worry about it. So no Tristan?"

"No, but I'm a good listener if you need an ear."

Rory thought about it for a minute. "You know what? Girl talk would be good right now. So I kissed this guy…from Yale."

"Really? Who?" Angie missed talking with girls; especially at events like this where few girls have actual IQs. She usually ended up spending more time with the guys then anyone else.

"Finn," Rory mumbled, not knowing where he or anyone else from Yale was. She didn't want them overhearing her conversation.

"Who?"

Rory sighed. She stopped walking and leaned close to Angie. "Finn," she whispered.

"Rothschild?" Angie asked with wide eyes.

Rory nodded. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"One because I'm in awe; every girl in the Brigade wonders what it's like to kiss him, have sex with him—they do say exotic is always better you know."

Rory laughed. "And two?"

"He's standing on the other side of the room with his friends indiscreetly staring at us." Angie wasn't over the fact that Finn Rothschild was staring at her. Okay, well not directly staring at her, but close enough.

"Everyone is staring or just Finn?" Rory asked.

"Finn, out of the corner of his eyes. There's a blonde girl…"

"Stephanie," Rory supplied the girl's name.

"Who has picked up on it," Angie continued, "and is grinning like crazy while looking back and forth at the two of you."

Thankfully the elevator bell went off and the girls got in with no one else joining them. "Okay, we're alone, I want details!" What better way to bond then by gossiping over boys?

"Is there something going on with you and Tristan?" Rory asked randomly. She wasn't necessarily trying to change the subject away from her but the thought had just occurred to her.

"We're not talking about me, we're talking about you!"

"There is!" Rory exclaimed. "Just tell me and we'll come back to it, promise."

Angie sighed. "There's something on my part and we've kissed before but… let's talk about you!"

"We're coming back to you and Tristan though," Rory warned.

"Whatever, tell me about Finn!" They were now in their room, each looking through a closet at their already hanging wardrobe—having money did have their perks at times.

Rory shrugged. "He was the one who brought me to the induction room. He saw I was nervous and kissed me." She shrugged again.

"How was it?" Angie asked, forgetting about getting ready and sitting on her bed Indian style and bouncing. She reached into her bag and pulled out a package of red vines, taking one and offering Rory some.

Rory grinned, mirroring Angie's pose and accepting some of her favorite candy. "It was _amazing_," Rory gushed. "It wasn't even intense or deep or anything—just a simple kiss."

"No tongue?" This was the important question after all.

Rory shook her head. "No tongue."

"Okay, so he brings you to the room, sees you're nervous, kisses you," Angie summed up, "and then what?"

Rory smiled. "We break away, I tell him he only increased my nervous and then I kiss him."

"What?" Angie shrieked.

"I kissed him. I don't know what came over me but I looked at those gorgeous emerald eyes and perfect smile and couldn't resist kissing him."

"So?"

"So I leaned in, kissed him, licked his lips, smiled and knocked on the door."

"Are you serious?"

"For real," Rory said with a nod.

"I am so jealous! He's _gorgeous_."

"I know."

"And smart."

"I would think so, he is at Yale after all and money can only get you so far—right?"

"Trust me Rory, he may spend a lot of time drunk but he's smart. Very smart. And well read."

Rory smiled. She didn't know much about Finn but if what Angie was saying was true then he really was a good match for her. She flopped back on the bed and squealed. "I'm such a girl!"

"But it's Finn," Angie stressed, "you're allowed to be. If you weren't I'd be worried. Besides, you obviously like him, it's cute."

She smiled. "I do like him. I don't know him very well though."

"You'll get to know him," Angie countered.

"What about all the girls?" Rory asked while worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

"What other girls?" Angie asked confused.

"All of them! Any of them! The ones like you that are in love with him! The ones that he sleeps with all the time! The ones that are all over him! I don't stand a chance with him against them. I'm not easy! I don't put out on the first date!"

"He's not expecting you to Rory." Angie tried to reason, offering more red vines. They were both ignoring the party downstairs that they were officially late to.

"How do you know that?" Rory asked with a moan before taking a bite of the candy in her hand.

"You're different Rory, he'd be stupid not to realize that, even on the most basic level. He knows you're not a one-night stand or an easy lay. He wouldn't have kissed you and looked at you like that earlier if he didn't."

"We haven't talked since the kiss," she admitted.

"What?"

"I kissed him, the induction happened, I ran out after and called my mom, then you found me. He was probably staring at me because I ran after the ceremony."

"I doubt that," Angie countered. "You didn't see the look he was giving you."

"I don't know…"

"Trust me!" Angie looked over at the clock and yelled. "Shit! Party started 35 minutes ago—you're founding legacy, newly inducted, we need to get ready! Will it take you long?"

Rory looked at Angie with a smile. "An hour? Maybe longer? Just to drive Tristan crazy of course."

Angie laughed. "You're evil."

"Thank you. _Now_, tell me about you and Tristan…"

The other girl blushed. "There isn't a whole lot to tell."

"Right, well there isn't a lot to tell about me and Finn either but I still told you, so spill! The faster you give in to me the faster we get down to the party. And don't worry, you won't take blame for me being late."

"There really isn't anything going on between me and Tristan."

"But you want there to be?"

Angie blushed but nodded. "We kissed once."

"When?"

"Um, at last month's event."

Rory tried to think back to anything Tristan might have said about kissing someone. Then she remembered and smiled. "It was good?"

"You really want to hear this?"

"There's nothing romantic between me and Tristan—there never was either. I've probably heard worse from my mom about her and my dad, nothing can scar me more than that."

"Really?"

"Please. I was on the balcony of her childhood bedroom one night when she finds me and tells me I probably don't want to be out there. I ask why, stupidly, and she tells me it's where I was conceived."

"Ew!"

"Exactly. So I'm sure nothing you say about Tristan can scar me as much as that comment did."

"I hope not!" They laughed and Rory waited for Angie to spill. "I don't know Rory, it was some stupid event. One minute we were laughing and the next we were involved in a heavy make-out session."

"Did you guys have sex?" Rory asked bluntly.

"No! I may really like him but with Tristan's reputation I wasn't going to be one of the many. I stopped everything before it went too far. I think that may have given him the wrong idea."

"Explain please."

Angie shrugged. "I think he got the impression I didn't want to hook up with him—he's been distant. Sure we hang out and all but it's not the same. I don't know…"

"He's probably as scared as you are. Knowing Tristan he thinks you stopped because of his reputation. And before you say that you did stop because of his reputation—he was thinking more that you didn't want him at all rather then your real thought that you didn't want to be another notch on his bed post, you know?" Angie nodded. "Okay, good. Now you should shower first, it won't take me long to get ready and I give Tristan a half hour longer before he comes up here to get us. Really, he should know I'd want an escort to my first LDB event."

"How does he know that Finn isn't taking care of it?" Angie teased.

Rory stuck her tongue out at her new friend. "Trust me, Tristan knows I'd want him to be there with me for this event. I need him and he knows it."

"Aw, that's sweet." Angie closed the door to the bathroom and started the shower.

Exactly 32 minutes later there was a banging on the door. Angie was putting on her make-up and in her dress while Rory was about to slip her dress on. Her make-up was already on—it was simple yet perfect and all she needed was her dress and shoes. "Who is it?" She called out from in front of the closet.

"Mary!" Tristan yelled through the door.

"Bible Boy! Is anyone with you?"

"No…who else would I drag up here for this torture?" He joked with her through the wood.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Swear on your Porsche," she demanded.

"What?" Tristan complained.

"Swear on your Porsche you're alone," Rory asked from the other side of the door.

"I swear on my Porsche I'm alone," Tristan repeated, obviously annoyed.

"Thank you." She unlocked the door and stood behind it while it was open, closing and locking it once he was inside.

Tristan turned around to ask why she was being such a pain about opening the door when he saw her in her underwear and whistled. "Looking good Mare—pretty set.

"Thanks." She grinned.

"So are you planning on putting on a dress and coming downstairs or just going downstairs in that?"

"That's one way to get Finn's attention Rory!" Angie called out form the bathroom.

"Finn?" Tristan looked at Rory curiously.

"It's nothing Tristan. I should really put on this dress already," she said avoiding his question. She pulled the item out of the closet and unzipped it.

"What happened with you and Finn? Do I need to beat him?"

"What? Tristan! No!"

"Are you going to tell him?" Angie asked. "I mean, if Tristan's your best friend/big brother whatever you want to call him, it's his job to scare Finn shitless."

"Mary…talk!"

"Big mouth!" Rory yelled at her roommate.

"Nice to see you two are getting along so well," Tristan said with a smile.

"Something we need to talk about later," Rory said pointedly while slipping on her dress. "Zip me up please?" She asked presenting her open back to him.

"Tell me about Finn," Tristan demanded.

"Zip me up!"

"Tell me about the Australian!"

"They kissed!"

"You are so going to get it! I'd sleep with one eye open tonight if I were you, Paris has taught me a few things."

Tristan shivered. "You may want to switch rooms," he warned Angie, "Paris is scary and if Rory learned from her…well…"

"DuGrey! My dress!" Rory yelled to get his attention back to her.

"So you kissed Finn?" Tristan teased.

"He kissed me first!" Rory reverted to a grade school retort.

"When did this happen?"

"Before my induction, outside the room. He said I looked nervous so he kissed me. I told him that only made me more nervous, kissed him and then knocked on the door."

"Really?" He would have expected her to run away, then again she had to go through that door and knocking on it immediately was sort of like running away.

"I left immediately after it was over and called Mom."

"You didn't cry though?" Rory shook her head. "How come I'm the only guy you've ever kissed and cried?"

"You and Tristan kissed?" Angie asked, surprised as she came out of the bathroom ready to go downstairs.

Tristan whistled. "Looking good Angie."

"Thanks." She blushed. "So you two kissed?"

Rory nodded. "Let's go, I hear we're late." She saw Angie's face and sighed. "I'll tell you the story on the way down, okay?"

Angie grinned and the trio headed for the elevator. "Story time!" She announced once they pushed the button for the elevator.

"Back during sophomore year of Chilton—before Tristan got sent away—we were at this party someone at school was throwing."

"My girlfriend at the time had locked herself in a bathroom with one of my 'good friends' and when I asked what happened she told me it was none of my business, I was being possessive and broke up with me…in front of everyone," Tristan continued with the story.

"Aw, poor Tristan." Rory snorted. "Okay, so the blow to his ego probably did some good, but no one deserves to be broken up with in front of their entire grade," Angie argued.

"Thank you," Tristan said, throwing his trademark smile at Angie and then turned to Rory and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Real mature."

"Thanks. I take after you and Lorelai," he said with a smirk.

Rory grinned. "Good to know you're learning something. Anyway I saw Tristan and Summer break up and then I went looking for a room to read in."

"Mary never goes anywhere without a book."

"It's true, I don't. The only reason I was at the party to begin with was because I was in denial about needing to wallow after breaking up with my boyfriend."

"Wallowing is important," Angie argued.

"I know—and I knew that then too. I was just having trouble with the break up and didn't want to admit it. Anyway, I brought my best friend from home with me but of course she met a future Korean doctor who was cute and began dancing with him. So there I was in denial, alone and searching for a room to read in. I enter this one room to find Tristan sitting at the piano, obviously upset. We end up kissing…"

"And then she pulls away, crying, and runs out of the room."

"You grabbed your friend and went home to wallow, didn't you?"

Rory grinned and nodded. "How did you know?" Tristan asked while looking at Angie.

"If you don't wallow after a break up, moving on to the next guy is very hard and kissing anyone before admitting the old relationship is actually over can never turn out well." Angie said as if she was stating the obvious—which she was. "It must have been a big hit to your ego, huh?

"Probably, but he won't admit it." Rory smiled at Tristan and he shook his head.

The elevator bell went off and the doors opened—signaling their arrival on the lobby floor. They were a few steps away from the ballroom when Rory stopped. "Rory?" Angie asked, looking back at her new friend.

"Yeah?" Rory wasn't really looking at Angie, she didn't seem to be paying attention to anything really.

"We're not inside yet."

"I know."

"We have to go inside Mary—everyone's waiting to meet you. The other new inductees have arrived, but since you're founding legacy everyone's antsy to meet you."

Angie took in Rory's paling face and slapped Tristan's arm. "I don't think you telling her that helped! I thought you were her best friend."

"He's in there," she told them softly.

"He who?" "Finn?" Tristan and Angie asked simultaneously.

Rory nodded. "He's in there. I haven't seen him since I ran away but he's in there and we're bound to be thrown together. I can't…"

"You have to Rory," Tristan said seriously. "Not only are you a new inductee, but you're founding legacy and you'll have to see him at Yale anyway. Besides, maybe he thought nothing of it and really believed you needed to calm down." Rory rolled her eyes at Tristan letting him know the 'pep talk' wasn't working.

Taking a deep breath she forced her feet to move from outside the ballroom inside the ballroom. She was no more than five steps in the ballroom when she heard someone call out her name.


	6. Inevitable

**Chapter 6: Inevitable**

"Gilmore! Where have you been?" Quickly she knew it was someone from Yale, placing the voice as Colin's. After all, the Princeton people still wanted to call her Hayden even after she told them she wasn't legally one. They said it was simply a matter of semantics and left it at that.

"Sorry Colin, I had a minor wardrobe problem."

"Rory! You look amazing! Nice of you to join us, can I bring you inside?" Zach's friendly voice called out to her and she smiled up at him, looking at his soothing hazel eyes and light brown hair.

"Sounds lovely Zach, thanks." Rory took his offered arm and smiled at the others. "Coming?" With a small smile directed towards Colin Rory headed into the ballroom where she was immediately thrown into a group full of Princeton folks.

**GGGGGG**

"Can you believe it?" Robert asked in an annoyed tone. "Does she really _not_ understand proper etiquette?"

"She didn't grow up in our world Robert," Stephanie tried to point out yet again that evening. "And before today I really don't think she even knew about the LDB so cut her some slack—okay?"

"She really should have come over to us by now, she's been here over an hour," Seth argued.

He was right though, they both were. Although Rory Gilmore had been inducted to both the Yale and Princeton LDB chapters she was a Yale student she should be spending most of her evening with members of the Yale chapter.

"Give her a break guys, she doesn't know us as well, she obviously feels out of her element and at least there Tristan is with her," Holly spoke up.

"He could come with her," Logan pointed out. "Colin and I were good friends with him before we got sent away and met Finn."

"Where is Finn?" Rosemary asked.

"Sulking at the bar," Seth supplied.

"What?" They all looked to the bar to see Finn standing in front of it, pretending to listen to whomever was speaking while paying attention to the group of people Rory was with—particularly the guy who's arm was linked with hers. "What happened there?" Robert wanted to know.

"It seems we may have found Finn's weakness."

"Really?"

"Don't get any ideas Robert," Logan warned.

"What are you talking about?" He played innocent and they all rolled their eyes. Robert always had an agenda.

"Finn and Rory kissed," Stephanie said.

"What? When?" Robert was apparently very out of the loop.

"Before she was inducted, outside of the room. Oh, stop talking about it!" Steph said quickly when she noticed Rory and Tristan coming towards her.

…10 minutes earlier…

"You have to go over there," Zach argued, his arm still linked with Rory's.

"What? Why?" She felt secure with this group of people and felt no need to leave them for the unknowns from Yale. Well not all of the Yalies were unknown but still.

"They're your official chapter," Tony told her. "It's extremely impolite and against society to ignore them."

"My mother got pregnant at 16, refused to get married to my father, had me, and ran away when I was only one year old—that was extremely 'impolite' and against society but I turned out okay," Rory argued. "It's not in my blood to be a perfect society child."

"This is different Mary. You know I'm all about blowing society off but in the LDB it's unacceptable—especially if it's because you don't want to talk to Finn. Not that I truly understand why you don't want to talk to him. 'He's gorgeous. Those eyes and that accent.'" He was making fun of the way Rory had spoken about Finn earlier.

"I know," Rory said on a sigh. "He is great to look at." She looked over to the bar where she had seen him earlier, smiling to herself when she saw a gorgeous girl talking his ear off but Finn barely paying attention to her. However, she quickly moved her eyes away from him when she saw him watching her. "I can't go over there," she muttered.

"Why not? Is this Rory Gilmore being scared of something?"

"No!" She quickly dispelled that idea. "It's just…well…I don't know them. At all. You know how I feel in situations like that."

Tristan sighed, he did know. "Okay, come on…" He grabbed her hand in his and started to pull her away from everyone.

"Tris? What's going on?"

"You don't know them and I do…or well I did know Logan and Colin. Come on, I'll introduce you, excuse us." Tristan led Rory away from the group and towards the Yalies, smiling when he noticed them noticed him and Rory moving towards them and obviously change their topic of discussion away from Rory and her bad manners.

"I have met them before you know," she mentioned as they walked across the room.

"You have?"

"Yes, I have," she said firmly. "Once at this party my father's parents threw and I was forced to go to. I was in a room reading and everyone came in for their sub-party, didn't notice me until my dad showed up. I didn't formally meet them then however; we actually met one night when I met Paris at the pub."

"Wait a minute…Paris went to the pub?"

"She was having a bad night," Rory said lightly. "Anyway, I met Finn and his friends that night formally. So I have met them, and we went to lunch with Finn and Robert the other day…"

"I know, but now you'll meet them again, won't you?" Tristan said throwing her his smirk. "Huntzberger! McCrae! How are you? It's been awhile!" Tristan greeted them with a smile and a handshake.

"DuGrey! We've been wondering when you'd show your face at one of these things!" Logan returned in kind.

"How've you been?"

"Not bad thanks."

"Enjoying New Jersey?" Colin made a face.

"Anything's better than military school." The guys nodded. "So it seems you met my Mary here earlier." Tristan nodded towards Rory who glared at him in return.

"I have a name you know," she said in an annoyed tone.

"Yeah Mare, I know; I've known since the first time I met you." It was the same conversation they had each time he introduced her as Mary but he knew it would loosen her up in front of the society types she had never liked. "I just think Lorelai misnamed you." Rory stuck her tongue out at him. "Real mature Mare, real mature."

"Whatever Bible Boy."

"Bible Boy?" Holly asked.

"Because of all the biblical references," Rory explained. "It's one of the nicer names mom and I have for him."

"And your favorite apparently," Tristan added.

"Not really," Rory corrected. "It's just the nicest…and the cleanest."

"Oh, you have dirty nicknames for me? I want to hear!" Tristan's grin widened.

"Get your mind out of the gutter ET!"

"You put it there Mare," he taunted her.

"ET?" Steph questioned.

"Evil Tristan. There's also Spawn of Satan…those are the only clean ones."

"That one is my favorite, it makes a crack at my dad too." Everyone laughed.

"So Gilmore, you having fun?" Robert asked.

"It's certainly an interesting gathering."

"This is nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"You have so much to learn my dear Mary, so much." Tristan put his arm around her shoulders and she shrugged him off. Everyone laughed.

"Be careful or I'll sic Lorelai on you!"

"She'll be on my side and you know it," Tristan taunted.

"You brought me to a rich kid's society party weekend to simply be immature and wave old names and money around, whose side do you _really_ think my mother will take?" Rory asked.

"Shit," Tristan muttered, turning white. "You have a point there."

Rory laughed. "I know." She patted his cheek. "I'm going to get a drink, you want?" He nodded. "Your usual?" Again, Tristan nodded. "Be right back."

When it looked like Steph was going to go with her Tristan put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "What?"

"She's headed in Finn's direction, without protest, don't make her realize it before he does or she'll back down. Just watch, it'll be more fun," Tristan said with a smirk.

"We should probably make introductions," Colin said as they watched. "Tristan—Robert Grimaldi, Stephanie Vanderbilt, Holly Mathers, Rosemary Hamilton and Seth Cranden. Everyone this is Tristan DuGrey—the third musketeer before Logan and I were sent to boarding school and met Finn."

"You got away just in time," Steph told him with a smile.

"I think it's better for us," Logan cut in, "considering he got sent to military school and all."

Steph thought about it for a moment before nodding and looking at Tristan. "Like I said before, you got away just in time."

"Hey!" Colin argued and Steph leaned over and kissed him, effectively ending his argument.

_Meanwhile…_

Finn had noticed the second she walked into the ballroom on another guy's arm—a guy that wasn't her good friend Tristan. She was practically two hours late and though he didn't know why, she looked so amazing that the wait was totally worth it. He had been planning on cornering her tonight—he would insist on a dance, refuse to let her say no and keep her with him until she spoke. The entire kissing event before her induction hadn't been planned on his part and he was pleasantly surprised with her response. His confusion and the explanation for his current state was centered on her immediate disappearance _after_ the induction ceremony. Her response to his kiss made Finn confident that she liked him—something Finn hadn't wanted from a girl in a very long time.

There had been one girl back in Australia before he met Logan and Colin at boarding school but that had been a very long time ago with someone entirely different from Rory. Ever since he had met her (Rory) at the Hayden's party he had been thinking of her and each subsequent meeting, however random, only enforced his belief that something good could happen between them. He hadn't known the ulterior motive of this LDB event until after lunch when he and Robert had met with the rest of the Yale chapter. An event was planned for the weekend but details had been pending until earlier this afternoon. He knew he'd have to be careful in approaching Rory—she hated society and barely knew him—but Finn wanted a chance with her and was willing to do whatever it took. The problem was getting her alone. So now, here he was, a perfectly eligible bachelor, a well-known playboy capable of getting any girl he wanted, pining away for Lorelai-Leigh Gilmore III.

About ten minutes before Rory appeared in the ballroom a blonde approached him, all confidence, smiles and small dress. Her figure may have been flawless but five seconds into the "conversation" and Finn knew she was completely shallow and lacking in IQ. While that may have not bothered him in the past, the temptation of Rory Gilmore made Blondie totally unappealing. He was cordial through the hello (Hi, I'm Christie, 'ello Finn); the how are you (good doll, you? Blondie smiles, great now that I'm talking to you somehow he held back an eye roll not that she was paying enough attention to him to notice if he did—she was pretty involved in getting her friends to see him 'talking' to her); where do you go to school (Yale duh doll, you know that, Duke Daddy's money got you in then; having a good time (it's okay, better now that I've met you Finn insert annoying laugh. After that he really stopped paying attention every now and then an "uh-huh" or something like that. And if he didn't say anything she'd slap him playfully, he'd smile and she'd continue. Finn continued to watch Rory as Blondie spoke. She stayed with Tristan and the Princeton folks and while he understood Finn knew it was really inappropriate and the others would be upset and give her cold shoulder. A quick look at his friends confirmed his thoughts and when he followed their gaze a while later it was to find Tristan and Rory walking towards them.

Not wanting to be _that_ obvious Finn stayed where he was, planning to join everyone in a few minutes and ditch Blondie. He continued to pretend to listen to her while watching Rory and Tristan banter and amuse his friends. Finally ready to join them he was about to blow off Blondie when he noticed Rory head to the bar and Tristan stop Steph from following her, winking at him. Taking the sign for what it was, Finn pushed himself away from the bar and sent a small smile to the surprised blonde. "Sorry Blondie," he forgot her name, "I've got somewhere else to be." He laughed inwardly at her expression and looked around for Rory, disappointed when he couldn't find her. He was about to head towards his friends, thinking she had returned to them when he heard her voice from behind him. "What did you say to that girl?"

"What girl kitten?" Finn turned to look at her, a real smile on his face this time.

Rory laughed at his oblivious tone—unsure how serious he was. "The one that was more plastic than anything else, had no IQ, Barbie's unrealistic and health hazardous measurements, a huge crush on you, every intention in getting you to her bed, or yours really, tonight, and had been talking to you for at least the past 10 minutes without realizing you weren't paying attention," Rory summed up.

Finn was surprised at how well she pegged the girl and conversation without being privy to her or it. "How do you know how long we spoke? Have you been watching me kitten?" He asked, picking the part of the conversation he found important, enjoying the blush on her face.

"Now I know you think every girl worships you…" Rory teased him.

Finn smiled at her. "Dance with me love?" He held his hand out to her and smiled at her shocked expression. "I promise I won't bite…hard."

Rory laughed. "Dirty!" With more confidence then she felt Rory placed her hand in Finn's and let him lead her to the dance floor. She shook her head as the music turned to something slower and Finn pulled her closer to him. Over his shoulder she saw Angie dancing with Jake and grinning at her like crazy; she returned the smile and then turned back to Finn knowing what she wanted to say. "Finn?" She said softly as he expertly moved them around the dance floor.

"Hm?" He replied into her hair, enjoying her against him.

"I'm sorry," she said in the same voice.

"Sorry kitten?" He pulled back to look at her. "For what?"

"Just leaving like that." It embarrassed her but she knew it wasn't right and needed to say something.

"Then why did you?" He was impressed that she just jumped into the conversation like that. However Finn did notice how red she was.

Rory shrugged. "Habit. I always run away after the first kiss with any guy."

The music changed to something loud and fast, causing Finn to grasp on her hands in his and lead her off the dance floor towards the beach. "Come on love." He brought her to the spot where the sea and sand met, sitting on the dry sand, confident that she wasn't the typical socialite who would be worried about her outfit. He let out a breath as she sat down next to him with a smile on her face.

"It's beautiful." Rory looked at the reflection of the moon on the ocean and the shimmer of the stars. It was a romantic setting and she really didn't think Finn was the romantic type—it made it even sweeter.

"I'm glad you like it," he said with a smile. "I requested some extra twinkle and shine for tonight."

Rory laughed and Finn closed his eyes—enjoying the sound. He heard her take a breath and knew she was going to say something first. "I run after every first kiss, it's my reflex," she said slowly. "There's only one I cried after though, make sure to tease Tristan about it. I love to see him blush and bring his ego down a notch."

Finn laughed. "Where did you go?"

Rory knew he wasn't talking about her kiss with Tristan. "To call my mom," she told him shyly, not many people understood the relationship she had with her mother; especially people from society. "I always talk to her about important stuff like this. Of course she was totally confused and doesn't know who you are and told me that since you were exotic I should go for it."

"She's not afraid I'm a serial killer or anything?" He teased.

"Well you're party of society which is 80x worse than being a serial killer. You'd probably have a better chance with her if you were part of the mob," Rory told him seriously, laughing at his worried expression. "Don't worry Finn, you're exotic and that wins a lot of points in the world of Lorelai Victoria Gilmore."

Finn smiled at her. "And what about with Rory Gilmore?"

"Being exotic is a plus," she teased. Finn glared at her playfully. "Finn," she said seriously, "I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't like you."

"You like me doll?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Don't make me regret it."

"I won't," he promised. With no warning he leaned down and gently kissed her. It was a magical kiss if she ever had one—the mood was set with stars twinkling and shining down against them, helping to create a moment she'd never forget. This time it was Finn who licked her lips, begging for entry to her mouth that she happily gave him, moaning as his tongue moved across her teeth. As his mouth explored the confines of hers he couldn't help but echo her moan, caught up in the heat he felt in her mouth. They broke apart when breathing became an absolute necessity, foreheads resting against each other, Rory being the one to start the kiss again, needing to feel the contrast of his lips against hers. Neither was sure how long they were outside on the beach making out before Tristan's voice broke them apart.

"Mary! You actually told your mother to call my phone? Are you insane? I know you're out there, I see Finn! Show your face!"

Rory dropped her head against Finn's chest, wanting him to hide her. She was sure everyone had heard Tristan and she was now extremely embarrassed. "I'm going to kill him," she muttered against his shirt.

"Love?" Finn questioned having not heard her.

"I should go if he has my mom on the phone." She was reluctant to leave the magic of the evening.

"Come on." He stood and offered her his hand. "Oh come on now kitten, this isn't over, just paused."

Rory smiled and groaned when she heard Tristan's voice. "Mary…." He called out annoyed.

"Spawn of Satan!" She yelled as she turned to walk towards his voice.

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Hayden III!"

"Tristan Janlan Edward Stewart DuGrey!" Very few knew Tristan's _full_ name.

"I thought I told you never to call me that," he scolded.

"And I thought you could have held off my mother," she returned in kind. "Oh no! Is something wrong?" Before he could answer Rory grabbed the phone. "Mom! Are you okay? Dad? Grandma? Grandpa? Luke? Sookie? Oh god, did she have the baby? Jackson? Michel? The Inn?"

"You know love, if you don't take a breath you'll turn purple _and_ never let your mum tell you what's going on," Finn said from next to her.

"Oh, is that _him_?" Lorelai asked.

"If by him you mean Finn then yes. Now, tell me why you called," Rory demanded.

"Did you not call Mommy earlier to talk about kissing the exotic Australian with money? The same exotic Australian that ET told me you disappeared with over two hours ago? And what exactly were you doing with the Aussie for all this time? And didn't you also tell Mommy to run up ET's phone bill? Cause I called collect…"

"You did?" Rory said happily, she loved to drive Tristan insane.

"I did."

"So? What's going on?"

"My parents."

"Oh no…if you called me all the way here it has to be bad. Wait, Grandma and Grandpa are okay, right?" Rory was instantly worried about her grandparents again. The concern in her voice got Tristan's attention as he stopped his conversation with Finn and looked at her. "Rory? Is everything okay with Emily and Richard?" He was watching her closely and very serious as he actually used her name.

"Well they're both alive if that's what you're asking," Lorelai answered.

"This really is bad," Rory said, worried even more.

"Lorelai Leigh!" Tristan yelled, finally catching her attention.

"Yeah?" It was as if she hadn't heard anything else he had said.

"Are Emily and Richard okay?" He asked again, mentally thinking about how quickly they could get back to Hartford.

"They're alive if that's what you mean," Rory told him and then realized he wouldn't consider that answer really meant. "Hold on mom." She put the phone down on the table and sat on Tristan's lap giving him a hug. "Stop making plans to get us back to Hartford—the Gilmores are just being the Gilmores and pulled something at Friday night dinner—so they're alive but only because there must have been too many witnesses for mom to get away with murder—which always seems to be the case. My grandmother has too many 'servants'," Rory made a face as she said the word, "which is ridiculous because she can never keep a maid! Anyway, thanks for the thought but relax, I just need to calm mom down—which will certainly come from running up your phone bill and complaining to me. Thanks for proving you're not truly evil ET—and don't think you can quote me on saying that—I'll deny your lack of evilness if asked on the record!" Rory grabbed the phone and got off his lap not even slightly out of breath after her "speech" and headed for the stairs to the beach to look at the magical sky while talking to her mom.


	7. So Yesterday

**Chapter 7: So Yesterday**

"So this is it," Rory said sadly.

"Come on Rory, you know that's not true," a female voice answered.

"Especially not where I'm concerned. We talk every day and I'm sure my parents will drag me home soon enough. Besides, you'll be so busy with the new boyfriend you won't even notice the time go by."

"Now first off, he's not my boyfriend and secondly I will too notice the time go by—I always miss you."

"And you're admitting it? Not cool," a second male voice said.

"Eh, he'll never live down the fact that a) I ran away crying after kissing him and 2) I was the reason he got sent to military school." She smiled sweetly at him.

"Now who has the big ego Mary?" He smiled and she threw her arms around him. "When did you get so clingy?" He asked while hugging her back tightly. Rory shrugged.

"Gilmore! If you don't get in the car Huntz will leave without you. He's an ass like that!" Robert called out to her.

"Colin's the one driving!" Logan yelled.

"Like Finn would let us leave without her," Seth added.

"Looks like you need to get going. Call when you get there," Tristan said, arms still around her. When it looked like Rory wasn't letting go he smiled at everyone. "Excuse us please." Drawing her away from the Princeton group, who said a final goodbye and walking slowly towards the Yalies. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. You know how I hate saying goodbye."

"But you also know it's not goodbye, just see you later. Besides, I'm leaving you with Finn who you've spent the better part of the weekend with."

Rory sighed. "I know."

"You're okay?"

She shrugged. "I'm fine. Mom's coming up for dinner and a movie night tomorrow and that'll be even better."

"Love you Mare." They had reached the Yalies by now.

"Love you too Bible Boy. I'll talk to you tonight."

"I would expect nothing less." He smiled at her and turned serious as he looked at Finn who was standing next to the open back door waiting for her. "Anything happens to her and you die. I went to military school you know…and my friends are still in the army."

"Tristan!"

He shrugged. "I have to look out for you Mary." She softened and blushed.

"Don't worry about it kitten," Finn smiled at her and returned Tristan's serious expression. "I promise."

"Good." He nodded and looked at his friend. "Love you." He hugged her tight and watched as she got into the car before Finn, the two men nodded at each other before Finn got in, closed the door and the car left a minute later.

**GGGGGGGGG**

"I want to meet him," Lorelai announced when Rory answered the door.

"Hello to you too Mom," Rory said as Lorelai came inside.

"Where is he?" She started looking around the dorm as if she'd find Finn hiding somewhere.

"He isn't hiding somewhere Mom."

"What? Why not?"

"He's not my boyfriend."

"So? I can't meet the exotic boy you're sleeping with?"

"Mom." Rory turned beet red which she knew was her mother's objective.

The sound of the door opening signaled Paris's arrival and Lorelai turned her questioning to the other Chilton graduate. "Paris! Have you met Rory's new exotic boy toy?" Rory groaned at her mother's question.

"Hi Lorelai, I'm good thanks, it's nice to see you too," Paris said mocking Lorelai's absence of a proper greeting. "And though I haven't seen him since they got back from their weekend and he brought her back here I did see the two of them on line to get coffee together this afternoon."

Lorelai nodded. "What do you think?"

"Not my type but tall, dark hair, green eyes, good body and an accent—Australian. The only down side is his bank account."

"Now we can't really hold that against him, can we?"

"Excuse me?" Rory never thought she'd hear her mother say that. "And Paris, what about Robert and his bank account? Or is that something different?" Rory teased.

"We're not talking about me and Robert right now Gilmore, we're talking about the foreigner," Paris said obviously annoyed.

"I'm not going to judge your new boy by his bank account," Lorelai interjected not wanting to listen to Paris and Rory argue.

"Really?"

"Do I look like a snob Rory?" Lorelai asked her daughter defensively.

"No…" Rory answered slowly.

"Good, remember that. Now I'm hungry, let's eat before the movie night begins. I take it we need to stop for supplies?" She looked in the kitchen and didn't see any candy at all.

Rory nodded. "I figured it'd be easier to do it together after dinner at The Rich Man's Shoe since it's the closest thing to Luke's we have."

"Is it any good?"

"We've been to worse," Rory told her.

"Let's go! Paris, you want to come with?"

"Thanks Lorelai, but I don't have stamina for a Gilmore girl conversation. Have a good time I'm going to the library later."

"Bye Paris." The two Lorelai's left the dorm and headed for dinner, already into one of their ridiculous conversations.

"Hi, I'm Ted, what can I start you ladies off with?" The young waiter asked once the girls were seated.

"Oh…Ted as in Bundy?"

"The serial murderer or the TV character? Two different connotations," Rory pointed out.

"Good call. Though I'm not sure if I'd be more comfortable with a waiter who's a murderer or a lazy shoe salesman who sits around his hand down his pants."

"Ummm…" The young Ted was turning red but was ignored by the Gilmore girls.

"Valid point. Well Ted Bundy, whichever one you are, right now we'll have coffees, an order of nachos and mozzarella sticks—"

"Oh! And potato skins," Lorelai added.

"And we'll let you know about dinner." The scared waited walked away quickly when Rory finished speaking and they both laughed. "We're evil!" Rory announced to her mother.

"That's half of our charm," Lorelai insisted. "So I want to hear everything."

Rory blushed. She knew she'd have to tell her mother about Finn and she wanted to, just not exactly at The Rich Man's shoe where anyone could hear them. "What do you want to know?"

"He's a good kisser?"

"Oh yeah." Rory blushed and Lorelai laughed.

"When I called after dinner he was with you on the beach and you were making out, weren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Did you sleep with him this weekend?"

Wow. Lorelai didn't beat around the bush. "Mom! No! I only just met him."

"I thought you met him at the Hayden's party."

"I did, but it wasn't a very formal meeting."

"Right. So he's pretty?"

Rory laughed and nodded. "Amazing green eyes—amazing; like two emeralds staring at you."

"Tall? With an accent?"

"I love the Australian accent. He calls me kitten. Well he calls all girls kitten or love or doll but it's great when he says it particularly to me accompanied by that killer smile."

Lorelai nodded. "You like him?" Rory nodded and Ted came back with their appetizers, taking their dinner order.

"So then Kirk tells Luke he wants banana pancakes and Luke says he doesn't make them."

"Uh-oh."

"What uh-oh? It was great! They argued over it. Kirk saying if Luke had bananas and pancake batter he could just mix it together and Luke saying he couldn't. When Luke asked Kirk why he wanted them he immediately said he shouldn't have asked…"

"…but it was too late…"

"Yup!" Lorelai grinned. "Kirk said he heard a song about making banana pancakes on the radio and wanted them. The song made them sound really good. Now apparently Kirk has been allergic to bananas ever since Kirk could only eat them."

"People Kirk?"

"Cat Kirk." Rory nodded and Lorelai continued. "So they continued arguing. Luke didn't want to serve bananas to Kirk if he was allergic to them, but Kirk wanted to eat them since they're all cat Kirk could eat."

"You really need to tape this stuff for me! I can't believe I missed this!" Lorelai continued to fill Rory in on the Stars Hollow news when the door opened and a very rowdy group entered the restaurant/bar. Immediately she knew who it was and only hoped no one recognized her—the minute they did movie night would be forgotten in favor of spending time with Rory's new friends. The girls finished dinner and ordered their desserts before Rory was recognized.

"Gilmore!" She ducked her head and closed her eyes hoping they would think they were wrong about her identity.

"Rory? Honey? Do you know the cute boys calling your name?"

"Gilmore!" The voice called again, this time Lorelai turning around to look at them.

"She's feeling a little shy, but I'm not, come and join us!" Rory groaned at her mom's answer, sinking in her chair she heard everyone get up to join them. "Rory, dear, aren't you going to introduce Mommy to your new rich friends?" In the middle of her sentence Lorelai stopped and Rory knew a light bulb went off and she decided to just go with it instead of making a scene. "Rich friends…" Lorelai muttered looking around before settling on the dark haired boy sitting next to her daughter drinking a beer. "Aussie!" She exclaimed as if proud of herself for narrowing it down.

"He does have a name mom," Rory muttered.

"Yeah, so does ET but you don't see me using it regularly, do you?" Lorelai shot back. "Speaking of SOS how is he?"

"Oh, he's good, denying his feelings for Angie."

"The pretty Princeton girl you stayed with this weekend?"

"Yup. She's perfect for him, you'd love her, he's just in denial, major denial. They look so cute together he's just afraid."

"Would the elder's approve?" Rory laughed. "Oh, so she really is perfect for him!"

Everyone at the table laughed at Lorelai's comment drawing her attention back to them. "Then there is the matter of your exotic boy toy—"

"I like your mum doll," Finn told Rory rather loudly, causing Lorelai to stick her tongue out at her daughter.

"Don't inflate her ego Finn," Rory pleaded; he only smiled.

"As for the rest of you rich kids. Richie rich here is Logan, tight lips is Colin, Blondie is Stephanie and I'm going on a limb to say the other female is Rosemary and not Holly."

"Rory I love your mom," Steph said with a grin.

"Yeah those are definitely some good genes," Finn added. Everyone, including Rory, laughed and she knew movie night was forgotten.

**GGGGGGGGGG **

Rory was leaving the YDN Wednesday afternoon when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hi doll, how are you?" Finn's accented came through the phone.

"Hi Finn." The smile on her face could be heard through the phone. "How are you?"

"Good doll, you?"

"Just leaving the paper. Happy today is over."

"Rough day?" He knew she didn't have any exams or papers due today so it had to be something else.

"Two papers and an exam assigned for next week."

"Sounds great."

"Oh yeah."

"So you're going to be pretty busy this next week then, huh?"

"It looks that way," Rory agreed. "What's up?" He sounded really disappointed.

"Let me take you to dinner tonight? Since you probably won't let me next week and all…"

"Well, I may. I'll probably need someone to keep me sane and remind me to eat next week.

Finn laughed. "At your service kitten, as long as you come out with me tonight."

"Just you?" They hadn't been out just the two of them yet.

"Yeah, just us," he agreed. He really wanted to take her out on a date with no interference from friends or her mother.

"Sounds good. What time?"

Finn couldn't believe how easy this was turning out to be. For some reason he expected asking Rory out to be much more difficult. "How's 6:30?" It was 4:30 and that would give them both two hours to get ready.

Rory looked at her watch and saw that didn't give her a whole lot of time but it was certainly doable. "Sounds great Finn."

"Fabulous pet. I'll pick you up at 6:30."

"See you then Finn." Rory hung up the phone and turned back to her room to shower and get ready for her first official date with Finn.


	8. Sipping Cider Through A Straw

**Chapter 8: Sipping Cider Through A Straw**

"You're way too happy, do you know that?" Paris grumbled at Rory the next afternoon.

"What's wrong with being happy Paris?"

"Nothing. It's just that not everyone can always be as happy as you are and sometimes, especially this early in the morning it can be REALLY annoying."

"As annoying as a roommate who uses Sharpies, a hot glue gun, and glitter all of the time?"

"Hey! You said you liked the glitter!"

Rory rolled her eyes. "Between the Sharpies and the glue gun the smell in this place can only be ignored with fresh coffee brewing."

"Whatever Gilmore, just turn down the pep a little can't you?"

Before Rory could respond with something about Paris being sexually frustrated and inquire about why Robert wasn't putting out Rory heard her phone ringing. "You're so lucky Gellar." Flipping the phone open without looking at the caller id Rory answered. "Hello?"

"Well that was a boring greeting," Lorelai's voice came through the line.

"Sorry mom, I was fighting with Paris."

"What's new there?" While the girls got along sometimes living with your closest friend causes problems.

"Nothing. What's up?"

"What's up? Are you kidding me?"

"Um, no. You're the one who called me, right? So doesn't that mean that you have something you want to talk to me about?" She knew what her mother wanted to hear about but she wasn't going to give in so easily.

"You're being mean, daughter of mine."

"Oh you know you love it! Now tell me what's going on with you. How's the inn? Sookie?"

"Sookie's great babe. She's ready to have that baby."

"I'm sure. Soon though, right?"

"She's due in another month," Lorelai told her. "The inn is fine, Michele is Michele and Luke's fine too. And before you ask so are Babette's cats and gnomes."

"Well that's good. Any new Taylor stories?"

"Of course! What would Stars Hollow be without a good Taylor story?" Lorelai was about to launch into a story when she stopped. "Hey! You're just trying to distract me from the reason I called!"

"And it was working too!" Rory laughed while her mother growled. "So what _is_ the reason you called? It obviously wasn't just to catch up."

"You're right! I have a purpose."

"That's a change."

"Mean!"

"Speak!"

"Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Tell you what?" She was going to drag this out and drive her mother insane.

"Come on Rory, you know what I want to know about, don't make me beg."

"What?" Rory gasped. "Lorelai Victoria Gilmore beg? I didn't think that was possible! I want to hear this!"

"That's it! I'm taking you out of my will! I'm leaving you with nothing! The house goes to the gnomes!"

Rory laughed. "So ask your question already."

"Fine! How did your date with the hot Australian go last night?"

She sighed. "You know he does have a name, right?"

"Yes. Hot Australian."

"Even though he will respond to that name," Rory rolled her eyes knowing that was the truth, "most people call him Finn."

"When have I ever conformed to proper society?"

"Never."

"Exactly. So how was the date with the hot Aussie?"

"It was great, thanks." Rory's smile widened as she remembered the night before.

"Tell me! I want details!" Lorelai was bouncing up and down on the couch, impatient to hear about her daughter's date. She had been up late last night waiting for the phone call that never came and had run out of patience five minutes, hence her present conversation.

"It was great," she told her mom with a grin as she remembered the previous night.

"How great was great?"

"Mom!"

"What?" She knew that Rory was blushing over the phone.

"Whatever you're thinking, think the opposite!"

"So you finally slept with him? It's about time darling daughter, I don't know how you've resisted him thus far!"

Rory couldn't believe that she was having this conversation with her mother; well, that was a lie because she always had these insane conversations with Lorelai, but this one seemed unusually strange for the two of them. "I did not sleep with Finn! I haven't known him that long!"

"Okay, so you didn't sleep with him, so what _did_ you do?"

"Drinks, dinner, dancing, very old school."

"Excuse me?" Lorelai had not expected her daughter's date to be so…mundane.

"He doesn't always have to be crazy mom. Finn can be normal every now and then. "

"From the stories you told me I find that hard to believe."

"Well it's not like there was no alcohol involved in the night; trust me, Finn was still very much Finn…just different."

"Because that makes sense."

"You're just not listening," Rory said slightly exasperated.

"So tell me."

"It was drinks, dinner and dancing…Finn style."

"That's more like it! Share!"

Rory laughed, apparently now Lorelai approved of her date. "You were going to call him and yell at him for taking me on a boring date, weren't you?"

"What? Of course not!"

"Mom…"

"What do you expect kid? I know you're not going to let him take you out again until you finish whatever mountain of homework you deem more important than your social life so I just want to make sure your first date was a smash and drinks, dinner and dancing, while very old school, classic New York, isn't very exciting."

"Trust me, with Finn it's exciting."

"Tell me!"

"Okay, okay, calm down." Rory thought back to the night before and couldn't stop smiling.

"Enough with the sappy grin, I want to hear about."

"Geez, have you always been this demanding?" Rory asked playfully, laughing when she heard her mother growl. "So he picks me up, a red carnation on his jacket lapel and sunflowers for me."

"How did he know?" Lorelai interrupted. He hadn't called her asking for Rory's favorite flower and she doubted the two had discussed her flower preference.

"Don't know," Rory said with a shrug. "Though I have a feeling Tristan told them for something LDB related and Finn just remembered it."

"Plausible," Lorelai agreed. "So he picked you up wearing a red carnation, being very old school and Frank Sinatra."

"And you know how I love Sinatra."

"I know. It's something you got from your grandfather, that's for sure."

Rory laughed. "That's probably very true. You never were a big fan. Anyway," she was getting really excited at retelling this date for her mom, "he gave me the flowers and I put them in some water before allowing him to take me to his car..."

_"Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight love?" Finn asked as he held onto her hand while leading the way to the parking lot. With a blush Rory shook her head. "Well you look bloody fantastic." They arrived at the car and Finn opened Rory's door, smiling at her. _

_"Thanks," she said with a smile, climbing in. Before she moved away from him, however, Rory stood on her tip-toes and brushed her lips against his. "You look pretty good yourself tonight, Sky." She got into the car knowing that she had not only surprised him with her kiss, but confused him with her words. _

_Finn rounded the car and got in all the while thinking about her words, wondering what she meant. The drive was silent for the first two minutes until he laughed. "So if I'm Sky, what would that make you? Sgt. Sarah Brown? And if so, where are you hiding the uniform, cause that's hot." _

_Rory laughed, surprised that he had picked up her obscure reference. "Well I don't have a mission uniform, but I did go to private school." _

_Finn's eyes lit up and he looked at her with a grin as he coasted to a stop at a red light. "It's not nice to tease doll." _

_"Oh, I'm not teasing. When my mom first found out I was accepted to Chilton she pulled out the skirt before telling me what was going on. I guessed I was going to be in a Britney Spears video, she and Sookie laughed." _

_"That's a good image." The grin was still present on Finn's face. _

_"I knew you would think so." _

_"What are the odds that you still have the uniform and you have it at school?" _

_She could see his imagination running wild. "Dirty," she said with a shake of her head. "It's somewhere in my closet I think. Mom packed it freshman year as a joke. Though I don't know why you think you'd have better luck that Tristan." _

_"You two dated?" Her words disturbed him; Finn was pretty sure they were just friends. _

_"No, we never dated...but he wanted to. We kissed once. It was a disaster. Although I love to retell the story, he hates it. I only tell it to embarrass him." _

_"Well then embarrass away." _

_"Not now, maybe another time." _

_"So that's why he calls you Mary?" Finn asked as he drove down the off ramp of the highway and towards their final destination...or so she thought. _

_Rory laughed. "No, he calls me Mary because I look innocent. Or I did look innocent back then. I was the only girl who ever turned him down. Really hurt his ego." _

_"I bet it did. Guys like DuGrey don't get turned down." _

_"You mean guys like you?" Rory said with a raised eyebrow. _

_"Well yeah, that too. Although I don't publicize it, I have been turned down." _

_"You mean there's a female out there that can resist the accent?" Rory teased with a twinkle in her eyes. _

_"I know it's shocking love, but it's true." Finn took his eyes off the road briefly to shoot her a grin. _

_"Well I think I should thank them." _

_"Huh?" That was certainly not what he expected her to say. _

_"Well, if they hadn't been able to resist you we could very well not be in this position right now and I won't lie, I like this position very much." Rory blushed immediately after she stopped talking. She had never before been so forward with a boy. Of course many would not see her statement as being forward but considering it was their first date, it was extremely forward. It took weeks of awkward conversation and shoplifting cornstarch before she and Dean got together and with Jess...well things with Jess just kind of...happened. They didn't discuss anything really. Somehow they read each other's thoughts, knowing that one would speak if the other was bothering them...or so she had thought. But she normally did not let anyone know what she was thinking so early into the relationship, and since most people didn't know how to read her properly it was never a problem. But Finn, of course, was going to be different. He was going to stretch her limits and Rory wasn't sure how much she liked that. _

_"Oh really?" Finn raised his eyebrows at her. "What other positions do you like?" _

_"Dirty!" Rory exclaimed, trying her best to ignore the sexual undertone she had pointed out. The last thing she needed was a permanent red stain on her cheeks from embarrassing moments with Finn--she was just grateful she didn't put blush on tonight. _

_"This isn't even the half of it, kitten." Finn grinned at her and it was then Rory realized that they had reached their destination. _

_"Finn..."Rory began, staring first out the windshield, then at him and then back out the windshield. _

_"Yes love..." The grin on his face never faded, it actually grew, as she took in her surroundings. _

_"You're kidding, aren't you?" _

_"Why would I kid about something like this?" _

_"This doesn't like the kind of place you would normally go to. This isn't a typical first date kind of place." _

_"You're right," he agreed. "I don't normally come here, particularly not on a first date, but you, Rory Gilmore, are not a normal girl. You're special and you deserve something special that you'd enjoy and not be bored just because society would call for a perfect first date dinner. _

_Rory grinned at him. "Smart boy." They walked towards to the restaurant, Finn held the door open for Rory and she smiled up at him as she passed him by. She couldn't get over how different this date was and she had only walked through the front door of the restaurant. Even more interesting was that Rory knew this was only part one of their date. How many parts there were she wasn't exactly sure, but there certainly was bound to be more than one and probably less than four. Whatever was in store for her, Rory was completely intrigued. _

_"Sit wherever you want!" A deep male voice called out to them from the other side of the restaurant. "Someone will be with you in a minute!" Rory returned the grin on the man's face and allowed Finn to lead her to a table. _

_"What do you think?" _

_"This is certainly not what I expected," Rory reiterated her earlier comment. "But I love it, really." She took in her surroundings as they settled into the comfortable, worn on, booth cushions. Finn had taken her to an old-fashion, family-owned pizzeria. The tables and booths were wooden with red and white-checkered table clothes on them. The man who greeted them was wearing a t-shirt and jeans and had a big belly, a moustache and a great big smile. It was obvious that his wife was behind the register and Rory would quickly bet that his children, if old enough, were working there somewhere. There was another group of kids sitting on the other side of the place from Rory and Finn--she placed them to be juniors or seniors in high school, quite possibly football players and their friends. They seemed to be having a good time and know their waitress, making their fun even greater. From her seat across the room Rory could see the young girl blushing and she, Rory, could only imagine what those guys were saying to the young girl. _

_"What are you smiling about love?" Finn asked in his smooth, accented voice, amused at Rory's appreciation of his choice of dining venues. _

_"Those guys, on the other side of the room, they're obviously friends with the waitress but they're embarrassing her. She's turning red." _

_Finn looked across the room at the group Rory was speaking about and couldn't hide his grin. "You look a lot like that when you blush, you know." Rory scowled at him. "I never said that was a bad thing kitten! It's actually quite a turn on." She narrowed her eyes at him even more but that only caused him to laugh. "Don't play that game with me. I'm perfectly immune." _

_"Whatever you say Finn." She looked around again, taking in the pictures that were hanging, the people who were entering and the guys who were spinning the pizza dough in the air. She was in love with the restaurant; if the food tasted half as good as it smelled she'd be in heaven. "So what's good here?" _

_"I've only been here once." _

_"Who with?" _

_"Jealous pet?" Finn grinned at her, loving the blush that deepened on her cheeks. _

_"No. Just wondering." She paused for a minute before continuing, "I was thinking maybe some cheesy bread and then pizza. Pizza with mushrooms and peppers, oh, or maybe some pineapple." _

_"Cheesy bread and pizza? Aren't they the same thing?" Finn couldn't believe she would want all that. "And what are you talking about mushrooms and peppers and pineapple? I thought you didn't eat that healthy stuff." _

_"The healthy stuff gets forgotten about under all the junk. And cheesy bread and pizza aren't the same thing! Pizza has cheese and toppings; cheesy bread is French bread with cheese!" _

_"And I stand corrected." Finn backed down, loving the sound of laughter from Rory. He knew it was the beginning of a great evening. _

"Dinner sounds like fun!" Lorelai said as Rory paused in her story.

"It was. The family that owned the restaurant was amazing. The pizzeria has been in the family for over 50 years. I bet Grandpa went there when he went to Yale!"

"Why do you think that?" Lorelai asked, surprised that Rory would think something like that. "I don't see my father as a pizzeria guy."

Rory laughed. "That's true, but I can see him here with a group of friends...maybe those wiffenpoofs, or whoever, the singing group, or his other friends. They would probably love a place like that."

"I guess. So there's more to this date then a little pizzeria, keep going! Wasn't there a mention of dinner, drinking and dancing?"

"There was..."

_"Where are you taking me now?" Rory asked as they got back into the car and Finn drove away from the restaurant and got back onto the highway. _

_"Why do you sound like you're dreading spending time with me? Did we not have an enjoyable dinner?" Finn asked in a slightly teasing tone. _

_"No, it's not that at all," Rory rushed to assure him, "I was just wondering. I mean, you're obviously not the kind of person to think inside the box, so my natural curiosity got to me, not to mention those damn journalistic tendencies, and I asked where we were going. It in no way signifies that I don't want to spend time with you or that I'm not having a good time on our date or that..." _

_"Love, love, calm down," Finn chuckled as he held a hand out in her direction, hoping that she would stop her rambling and apologizing. "I know you're having a good time, I was just teasing." She shot him an embarrassed smile and Finn picked up her left hand in his right. "I just want to surprise you, okay?" _

_Rory looked at him, embarrassment still present in her features. "I'm not very patient when it comes to waiting for surprises, you know." _

_"I know," Finn said with a nod his head, "but trust me, you'll like this one." _

_"I would be surprised if I didn't," she answered him honestly. _

_Finn wasn't expecting an answer to his comment but the one she gave him was perfectly acceptable. He liked that after knowing each other for such a short amount of time they managed to know each other so well. He also liked that she wasn't completely turned off by his playboy history...and his love of alcohol. While she could probably handle his love of alcohol on her own, Finn had a feeling that her close friendship with Tristan is what gave her a bit of faith that someone with a history like him could actually change. And maybe it was that friendship that made her relax around him but Finn doubted it. There was something about her, something about him, something about the two of them together that just...clicked. And as much as it scared him, he loved it. They drove for another half hour before he pulled into yet another parking lot, smiling at the surprised, but supremely happy look on her face. "I take it this is okay with you?" Finn asked with a grin as he helped her out of the car. _

_"More than okay," Rory answered with a smile. "How did you know?" _

_"I just did," he told her, keeping their hands locked as they walked towards the club. The atmosphere inside was perfect. There were groups, of all ages, settled around tables throughout the club, there were couples scattered around the dance floor in the middle of the room and in the very back of the building a jazz band was set up and they sounded terrific. _

_"I can't believe you brought me to a jazz club," Rory said softly as he led her to a table that had a reserved sign on it. _

_"It's a great place," he told her. "Tuesday's happen to be jazz night; I've never been here on a Tuesday before though." _

_"When do you normally come here?" She asked, curious to know what this place was like at other times--it seemed like the perfect atmosphere for a jazz club--she couldn't imagine it being anything else. _

_"They have swing music or once in a while there's a disco night. They spice it up with 80s night but it's typically just a chill club with good music and not as many drunk college students as the other places." _

_"You guys come here a lot, don't you?" This was definitely some place that she could see Finn and his friends. _

_He nodded. "We like it here. It's off the beat and path, people don't really think to look for us here." _

_"People meaning your parents or people meaning other girls/guys or people meaning anyone?" _

_Finn shrugged. "All of the above. Sometimes it's really nice to have an evening with your friends, no pretenses needed." Rory nodded at his answer, completely understanding. She too enjoyed the nights when it was just she and her mom or she and Tristan and though they were less frequent then she liked--her and Lane. And if she was really lucky it got to be all four of them in one room, but sadly that didn't happen often--schedules didn't allow it. _

_They sat back, happy to relax with the music, and Finn ordered them drinks--nothing too strong but nothing too girly either. He insisted that--date or no date--he would never live it down if he was too tame for the evening. Rory smiled at his logic and sipped on her drink. She knew that he wouldn't get drunk this evening, but she also knew that if anyone could handle their alcohol it was Finn. She wasn't as nervous about him having a drink or two as she might have been with others. During the course of the first three or four songs, though they were not speaking, their hands were clasped and slowly they inched their chairs closer together. By the time half of the fifth song was over Rory was resting her head on Finn's shoulder, both with content smiles on their faces. All of the sudden, however, Finn stood up, smiling at Rory's surprised faced. Again, no words were spoken as he held his hand out to her. Smiling up at him, she accepted his offer and allowed Finn to lead her onto the dance floor. _

_The couples that surrounded them were a bit older and smiled at the young people who looked so in love. Of course, neither party of this particular couple would admit feelings so deep but to those around them something more than just common interests lay within the two dancing. They weren't even halfway through the song before Finn's arms wrapped tighter around Rory, pulling her as close to him as possible, and in return Rory rested her ear against his chest, content on listening to his steady heartbeat. _

"That's..." Lorelai didn't know how to respond. Her daughter had been on the most perfect, most romantic first date she could think of. "...completely unexpected," she finished.

"I know." Rory understood her mother's comment completely. Finn was born and bred in society, with completely different standards then she or her mother had but yet he had managed to come up with something completely wonderful for their first date. Something that didn't shove his money in her face or make her uncomfortable. It was perfection. Or something close to perfection...call it perfection and nothing can top it and the relationship goes down hill from there. "You know..." Rory started not knowing if she was comfortable voicing her thoughts to her mother.

"I know." Lorelai answered immediately having read Rory's mind. "But I don't think the second date is the time for him to meet Miss Patty or Babette...and definitely not Luke."

Rory nodded although her mother couldn't see her. "I know that. But he'd certainly fit in, wouldn't he?"

"From what I saw last week at dinner, he definitely would. And he would win points with Luke once he saw how much Finn cares about you. He likes you babe...a lot."

"I'm glad you like him mom." And it was the truth. Lorelai disapproving of any guy that she liked or dated was hard. After the Jess fiasco Rory promised herself she would do everything she could to make sure her mother liked her boyfriend.

"Wait...how did the date end?"

Rory grinned, having hoped that her mother wouldn't ask, she was prepared to answer anyway. "We were at the jazz club until they closed, I think it was one a.m. actually."

"Really? On a school night?" Lorelai teased.

"That's what Finn said!"

_"Love?" Finn's soft, accented voice drifted into her thoughts. They had been swaying together to the music for a couple of hours and Rory was in heaven. He smelled wonderful, his arms felt fantastic around her and she didn't want to move. "Rory?" He tried again to get her attention. _

_"Hmm?" She answered, inhaling his scent but not really hearing his words. _

_"Rory love, it's late, we need to go." _

_"What?" She asked softly, speaking more into his shirt then up to him. _

_"They're going to be closing soon, we need to gather our things." _

_"What time is it?" She still hasn't opened her eyes. _

_"Close to one, that's when they close." _

_"In the morning?" Rory questioned, not believing it was so late. _

_Finn laughed. "Yes love, one o'clock in the morning. I should probably get you home," he said. _

_"Probably," she agreed. Rory felt Finn's body move as he laughed at her again. _

_"Come on love, let's get our coats." He reluctantly pulled away from her, leaning down to gently kiss her lips before taking her hand in his and leading the way back to the table. He let go of her hand only to pay the bill, help her into her coat and put on his own. They walked outside into the cold, smiles on their faces as their fingers were interlocked. "Did you have a good time?" Finn asked as he helped the half asleep girl into the car. _

_Rory nodded. "Amazing." _

_"Good." Once she was settled in her seat he closed the door firmly before heading around to his side of the car and getting in, quickly pulling away from the club and back towards Yale. _

_"Dinner, drinks, and dancing...very old school," Rory said suddenly when 45 minutes later he pulled into a parking lot near both of their dorms. _

_"Excuse me?" He was now besides her car door, holding out his hand waiting to help her out. _

_"Tonight. Dinner, drinks and dancing...it was very old school. Classic." _

_"You liked it though?" For the first time all night Finn was unsure. _

_Rory nodded. "I loved it. Thank you." _

_He said nothing else, only helped her out of the car and then back towards her dorm. They were standing outside her door, Rory very reluctant to let the night end but not yet ready to ask him to stay over. Finn seemed to understand that though. "This is where I leave you. It's pretty late, you should get to bed." It was close to two a.m. and Finn knew that she had relatively early classes tomorrow. _

_"You're right," she answered, "but I'm not ready for tonight to end." _

_Finn grinned at her words. "Neither am I, but there's always tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that and..." _

_"I get it Finn," Rory said with a small smile. "I still don't want tonight to end." _

_"Then let's put it on pause, shall we?" _

_"I like that idea." _

_"Good." He nodded his head firmly and smiled down at her. "Good night Rory Gilmore." _

_"Good night Finn." She was moving to turn and put her key in the lock when she felt Finn's hands stop her. They moved up to frame her face before leaning down for a kiss that ended up being much more intense then the few they shared while dancing. _

_'"I'm glad you had a good time doll, I'll talk to you tomorrow." _

_"Until tomorrow Finn. Good night." _

_"Good night love." This time when she put the key to the lock he didn't stop her. Instead Finn waited until he heard the lock turn on the other side before turning away and heading back towards his own room--a wide grin on his face. _

"Wow."

"Yup."

"Wow."

"I know."

"Wow."

"Choose a different word please!"

"Keep him."

"I plan to." Rory blushed at her words but didn't take them back. "I need to go now though Mom."

"I'll talk to you later kid."

"I'll count on it." Rory hung up her phone, a smile on her face, as she once again replayed the previous night's events in her head.


	9. Fashion Week

**Chapter 9: Fashion Week **

Three weeks had gone by since Rory and Finn's first date. Although Rory had been busy with classes and papers and tests, the pair had managed to find quite a bit of time together. In fact, most of Rory's free time was spent with Finn, except for the obligatory Friday night dinners and Finn's friends began asking serious questions about the amount of time he was spending with his newest brunette "friend."

"Where's Finn?" Robert asked as the guys settled around the poker table for the evening.

"Where do you think he is?" Colin replied.

"Really? He's always with her."

"Don't you see them together? You are dating Gilmore's roommate, aren't you?" Seth asked.

Robert glared at the other guy. "Just because she and I are seeing each other, doesn't mean that we're attached at the hip."

"Who's hip aren't you attached to?" Logan asked as he walked back into the room, the dealer they hired for the night behind him.

"Paris'." Colin filled him in.

"Oh, so you were talking about Finn?" He filled in the blanks. "They are getting close, aren't they?"

"Who's getting close?" An unexpected female voice said from the doorway. The boys turned around to see Steph standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. "Isn't someone missing?" She asked looking around the table.

"That's what we're discussing," Colin said in an icy kind of tone.

"Ohhh, so you're feeling neglected by your best friend, are you?" Steph couldn't hold back her grin. It was cute to see the boys all upset like this; it showed how much they really mattered to each other. "But I thought she had family dinner tonight."

Logan shrugged. "Maybe it was cancelled. Finn didn't come home last night so I can't say for sure."

"He didn't come home? I didn't think they were sleeping together," Steph said slowly. She and Rory had started talking to each other over the past week or so, after finding out they had a few classes together, and slowly small bits of information about her relationship with Finn were coming out. They were really starting to become friends.

"They aren't_ sleeping_ together," Colin told her. "They're just sleeping together."

"Oh, so he's becoming her boyfriend then." She said it in a very matter-of-fact tone while the boys watched and waited for her to pick up on what she said. "Oh," she said quickly, "oh, oh, oh...I think I need to sit down." Holding out a hand she grabbed onto the wall and in her typically overdramatic way made her way over to the sofa where she flopped herself down. "I just called Finn a boyfriend...I referred to one of the three musketeers, one of the three biggest playboys on the East Coast as a boyfriend...wow."

"Now you're getting it," Colin told her.

"It's not that it's a bad thing...it's just..."

"Weird," Robert finished her sentence.

"Please, you're practically Paris' boyfriend."

"Excuse me, I'll have you know that Paris and I are perfectly happy just having sex and not hammering down the details of our relationship."

"Oh really?" Logan asked, his eyebrows raised. He knew Paris, there was no way that someone that uptight was really okay having a stringless relationship with anyone. "You're sure about that?"

"Do you know something I don't Huntzberger?" Robert shifted his gaze to his friend and waited.

"Huntz knows something?" The deep Australian voice cut into their conversation, the door closing behind him as he quickly discarded his jacket and took up the empty seat at the poked table. "Sorry I'm late mates."

"Where were you?" Steph asked.

"You the only one here doll?" He asked, noticing that they usually had a few girls who would come hang out while they played poker but as of now Steph was the only one present.

"So far, but you're avoiding the question...where were you?"

"Like I said earlier, where do you think he was?" Colin jumped into the conversation, his tone still on the icy side.

"Is there something you'd like to say to me?" Finn asked his friend, deciding that this time he wasn't going to ignore the tone of his friend's voice.

"Nope, nothing at all. So tell us, where were you?"

Finn rolled his eyes. "I was with Rory. She was getting ready for dinner and wanted to spend some time with me. She's going away for a few days." His voice wasn't as chipper as it normally was, he didn't like that she would be away for so long, he was actually going to miss her. And missing her brought out feelings he wasn't quite prepared for but feelings he wasn't going to fight. He had tried that for a day or two and didn't work...there was something different about Rory Gilmore, that much was clear, and he was just going to go with it.

"Where's she going?" Steph asked, not wanting to see her friends fight.

"Well Tristan and his family, parents and grandparents from what I hear, are all going to be at dinner, so as a survival present the two of them are going somewhere for a few days. Rory couldn't tell me because she didn't know, Tristan wouldn't tell her."

"And you're okay with her going away to some unknown location with another guy for a 'few days'?" Colin asked, bitterness apparent in his voice.

"He's her best friend, I can't very well tell her not to spend time with her best friends. Besides, I trust her, and it's not like we're exclusively dating," he said that last part with sadness in his voice. Quickly he got rid of those feelings and smiled. "She said she'd call as soon as she got to her location and let me know how dinner went."

"Is she expecting a scene? How many of her grandparents will be there?" Robert asked, knowing that being a Gilmore and a Hayden must be tough.

"I think just the Gilmores," Finn replied slowly. Her relationship with her other grandparents was a sore topic that he did not broach with her often. "Apparently every time everyone is in the same room Tristan's parents and Rory's grandparents try and set them up and plan their marriage. Lorelai just laughs and Tristan's grandparents have no control over their son and daughter-in-law."

"They don't want to see Tristan and Rory married?" Logan asked; it seemed that the elder DuGreys would be happy with the idea.

"I'm sure they wouldn't object," Finn answered with a shrug, "but they realize the decision is not theirs to make and that Rory and Tristan are best friends, nothing more."

"And you believe that?"

"What is your problem?" Finn growled at Colin.

"Nothing." Colin held up his hands in surrender. "I don't really feel like playing anymore. Steph, wanna get a drink?" Colin looked at his "girlfriend".

"Sure." She got up to follow Colin to the door and turned back to her friends with a confused look on her face and shrugged. She'd find out what was going on once they got to the bar.

"He's pissed isn't he?" Finn asked once the door closed behind his friend.

"Well, you can't really blame him," Logan said slowly. He didn't want to cause a problem between his friends...or a bigger problem then there already was.

"I can't?" Finn asked, eyes wide. "And why can't I Logan? Enlighten me, please."

Logan groaned, he hated it when Finn put on an American accent and questioned them. It was unnatural. "I didn't mean it like that Finn. It's just, well, I can understand why he's upset."

"And why is that? Because I have Rory and he can't set something solid up with Steph?" None of them had noticed that the dealer they were paying a hefty hourly sum for was sitting quietly, playing with the cards and organizing the chips while the scene played out in front of him. It would certainly be an interesting story to tell his co-workers tomorrow. Of course, any time Logan Huntzberger called up there was interesting stories.

"That's probably part of it," Logan agreed, trying to figure out a way to be diplomatic about everything.

"What's the other part?"

"Well we've been bachelors for so long man, and not only that, we've been playboys, big playboys. You go after red heads and you're always drinking and up for a party and not really taking anything so seriously but now...things have changed. You've changed."

"Oh really?" Finn couldn't believe this. While it was true his last fetish had been over red heads and it was also true that he didn't drink as much as he did before, the part about school was a lie. Maybe his friends had never realized it but he was a good student. Not at the top of his class by any means but a good student. He always passed--and with a grade higher than a C. There were actually very few grades below an A on his transcripts. His parents would kill him if they saw a C or below. It was part of their deal--both verbally and silently. The verbal agreement was that he could attend university in The States as long as his grades were high and the silent agreement was that as long as his grades stayed up they wouldn't bother him about the amount of alcohol he consumed and anything else about his social life. As long as he wasn't in serious legal trouble or putting his health in jeopardy they wouldn't say anything. It was a pretty good bargain in his mind, but it was something he didn't discuss with his friends. "You're sure that I'm changing?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"We all have to grow up eventually Logan," Finn pointed out.

"Fellas, Fellas," Robert interrupted them, "let's not argue, let's just play poker. You can try and rob each other."

Logan and Finn glared at each other before turning their attention to the game at hand preparing to end the game with the other's money burning a hole in their pocket.

**GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG **

"Well isn't this a surprise," Paris said as she opened the door.

"Hey Paris, how are you?" As his friendship with Rory had grown, Tristan had learned how to deal with Paris. Most of the time he ignored her comments.

"Good thanks. Does Rory know you're picking her up?"

"Not sure," Tristan said with a shrug. "I may or may not have told her to expect me."

"Rory! You have company!" Paris shouted before going back to the couch to watch CSPAN.

"Company? Finn, I thought I told you that you couldn't convince my grandparents to let me out of dinner nor can you come along. Weren't you supposed to have a poker night with the guys anyway?" Rory shouted as she left her room, putting in an earring as she walked into the common room.

"I don't know Mary, do you want me to call him and ask?" Tristan said with a smirk. His smirk grew as she recognized the voice and looked up at him in shock.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she ran into his arms. They spoke almost every day but she hadn't seen him since they parted from the LDB induction.

"I thought it was obvious Mary, I'm here to pick you up. I figured it would be wise to lug all of your stuff into my car now rather than deal with having to drive back here with your car and transfer it then."

"Good thinking. My bags are in my room." She pointed towards the open door. "And can you grab my bag and wrap too please?" Rory laughed as she saw Tristan roll his eyes and walk into her room.

"You realize it's only four days, right?"

"Yes Tristan, I realize that."

"And I also told you what kind of weather to pack for."

Rory scoffed. "Telling me to be comfortable but stylish isn't really a direction, weather wise."

"Whatever Mary, it won't really matter anyway. I'm sure you'll end up with a new wardrobe anyway."

"Tris...where are you taking me?" There was one place that Rory really loved to go this time of year and Tristan would take her if time permitted.

"I'm not telling," he stood by his earlier statement that it would be a surprise although he was sure that she had already figured it out.

"Oh my god!" Rory screeched as she ran over to him and hugged him, not caring if ruined her clothes, hair or makeup. "I love you!"

"Do you need to tell Finn something before we leave?" Tristan said with a smirk.

"Shut up. I turned you down when we were 16 and I'll turn you down when we're 20, don't doubt me."

"Oh, I don't Mary. Underestimating you got me in trouble back then, I've learned from my mistakes."

"Good! Now let's go get this awful dinner out of the way so we can have some fun! Bye Paris, have a good week, I'll see you next weekend."

"Next weekend?" Paris sat up immediately concerned. "I thought you were going to be back on Tuesday..."

"If we're going where I think we're going I'm not coming back until it's over. You knew that, right?" She looked up at Tristan quickly.

"Of course, we've done this before Mare." Tristan nodded, unable to hide his grin at her excitement. He loved that he could do this for her. He loved that it was their tradition.

"We'll be out of the country, but Tristan's cell phone will still work." Rory grabbed a piece of paper and jotted the number down. "Call if you need me, but only if it's an emergency. Bye Paris!"

"Wait, out of the country? Where?" But Paris' questions were left unanswered as her roommate and best friend walked out of the room with an excited Rory asked a million questions.

"So, is this a good present for surviving the evening?" Tristan asked as they got into the car and started the short drive to her grandparent's house.

"It's going to make dinner seem like it lasts five hours longer then it normally does."

"So dinner's going to last for two days?" Rory laughed. Family dinners like this always seemed as though they lasted for an entire day.

"We can't tell my mom though," she said seriously. "She'll never let us go without her and remember the last time we brought her along?"

"Do I ever..." Tristan began to recall that weekend and immediately decided it was better not to be on his mind. "We definitely won't tell Lorelai. She knows we're leaving the country though."

"Good." Rory definitely would have told her mother at least that much. She wouldn't want her to worry. "And nothing to my grandparents either. They'll think that we're going as a couple or something."

"Mare, when you and I go to dinner they think that means I'm going to propose."

"True." She rolled her eyes knowing that Tristan was right, her grandparents and his parents were way too wrapped up in the idea that they were going to get married one day. "Do you think I should tell them about Finn?"

"Is there something to tell?" The last time she had spoken to him about her "relationship" there was just some dating and making out...nothing more than that. Which was both a good thing and a bad thing apparently.

"Nothing more than the last time we spoke. He hasn't said anything about anything."

"Why don't you say something? It is the 21st century you know."

Rory rolled her eyes at him. "While that's true, Finn's a playboy. He's always been a playboy. And before you start lecturing me, let me tell you that I know he hasn't been fooling around behind my back these past couple of weeks, I've been getting vibes from the guys that he's stopped flirting with girls and doesn't drink as much—"

"What does that have to do with vibes from the guys?"

"I think they're a little upset that they're losing their regular drinking buddy and wing-man. Finn's not into a different girl every night, or so it seems, and I think that bothers them. He's the first one to 'settle down' and that doesn't sit well with them."

"Don't let his friends dictate your relationship Mary," Tristan warned.

"I won't, I'm just telling you what's going on. But Finn's always been a playboy and I don't know if he's ready for a fully committed relationship. I just don't know. It may not be time, ya know? Can we not talk about this anymore?" Rory ended the conversation just as Tristan pulled into her grandparent's driveway.

"We're spending the week together Rory, this conversation will continue."

"Fine, whatever, let's just get this over with." Rory threw the car door open and walked to the front door before she lost all ability to do so. She would have rather instructed Tristan to head to the airport early, but she knew that wasn't an option.

"Good evening," Emily Gilmore's maid of the week answered the door, opening it with a smile inviting the pair to come inside.

"Good evening, we're the grandchildren." Rory motioned to Tristan and herself.

"Everyone is waiting for you in the parlor." She took their coats and moved to put them away without another word.

"Rory! Tristan! How are you?" Richard Gilmore's booming voice greeted the pair as they joined everyone.

"Hi Grandpa, Grandma," Rory greeted her grandparents with a hug and kiss on the cheek and then moved to her mother. "Hi mom, how are you?"

"I'm good kid, have a good ride over here?" She winked at her daughter and Rory knew her mother was referring to her destination with Tristan.

"Just fine thanks. Mr. and Mrs. DuGrey," Rory greeted Tristan's grandparents, happy to see that his parents were not in attendance this evening.

"Rory dear, how many times have we told you to call us Janlan and Emily?" Janlan greeted the young woman with a smile.

"I'll try to remember for next time," she promised them. Rory took the only open seat next to Tristan and accepted the club soda her grandfather handed her gearing herself up for the questions that would be coming.

**GGGGGG**

"That wasn't too bad, was it?" Tristan asked as they got back into the car after dinner.

"We have sat through worse," Rory agreed. "Are we leaving tonight?"

"It's up to you," he told her. "We can leave tonight or we can stay over."

"Where are we leaving from?" Rory questioned, having no idea about the details.

"If we leave tonight we can leave from Hartford, if not Boston."

Rory turned in her seat slightly. "Are you cooking something up with my father?"

"Why?" Tristan hated that she could see through him.

"No reason. But I would like to leave tonight, you know how I love this time of year." She started bouncing in her seat, unable to control her excitement.

"I know you do Mare, I know you do. So Hartford it is then?"

"For sure. We're close to the airfield, aren't we? And tell me I got us out of breakfast with my other grandparents and my father tomorrow." She knew there was another reason he was offering her a night with her dad. Christopher knew the only way to get Rory to come to an event with his parents there would be to bribe her in some way. "Do you need to call Dad and tell him that you couldn't convince me?"

Tristan laughed. "He told me that I shouldn't give away where we were going. He knew once you figured it out you wouldn't want to make any kind of stop, but yes, we should call him. Do you need to call Finn?" Tristan teased her.

Rory glared at him. "Do you need to call Angie?"

Tristan growled. "Why are you bringing her up?"

"Because you won't tell me anything, you're bugging me about Finn and making sure that in the next week I tell you everything so I'm going to make you tell me about _your_ girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Tristan insisted.

"Right, of course she's not."

"Well Angie's my girlfriend as much as Finn is your boyfriend," he argued.

"So you're saying that you and Angie have been darting this past month or so?" Tristan blushed. "Why didn't you tell me?" Rory demanded as she slapped his arm. "I'm the best friend, this is stuff I need to know!"

"I know, I know," Tristan relented, knowing it wasn't worth arguing about. "Now, are you going to call Finn?"

Rory glared at him. "My life doesn't revolve around him you know."

"I know that," Tristan reassured her, "but I'm sure he wants to know what you're going to be all week."

"Well, he doesn't really know we'll be gone all week. I told him a few days. I didn't know where you were taking me, remember?"

"I remember," Tristan said with a laugh. "Will he be upset?"

Rory shrugged. "Even if he is, there's nothing he can do about it. He knows that we're best friends and if he can't handle that…"

"You really think he won't be able to handle it?"

"Don't know," she answered. "I'm not sure if he'll be upset that I'm going to be gone for so long."

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder," Tristan told her.

"Right back at you." Rory laughed as he blushed.

"Call him already!" Tristan yelled at her as he pulled into a spot at the private airfield and got out of the car to get their bags out of the trunk.

Laughing at him, Rory pulled out her phone and pressed down on the number 6 on her phone—Finn's speed dial.

"Hello?" Finn's voice came through the phone a minute or two later, with the noise of the poker game blasting through the line as well.

"Finn?" She asked, unsure if he would be able to hear her.

"Hi love! Hold on a minute." He moved the phone away from his mouth but Rory still heard him tell the guys he was folding and amidst their moans of disappointment get up and go into a quieter room—most likely his bedroom. "Sorry about that doll, how was dinner?"

Rory groaned. "It went as good as one could hope."

"Mary! This way!" Tristan called out, leading her onto the airstrip.

"Is that Tristan? Where are you?" Finn knew they were going to go away on some kind of trip for the next few days and he wasn't jealous…well, not really.

"Coming Tris!" Rory yelled before turning her attention back to Finn. "Yeah, that's Tristan. You know how I said we were going to go away for a few days?" She began.

"Yeah, you said you'd be back Tuesday, right?" Finn knew the next words from her mouth wouldn't be good.

"Well originally I thought that would be the case, but it doesn't look that way anymore…"

"What do you mean?" He was a bit nervous now.

"Well, I'm not going to be back until next Sunday."

"What?" He wasn't expecting that at all. "Why not doll?"

"Oh, it seems that Tristan's taking me to Europe for the week."

"Europe? I thought you were just going to California or something."

"Usually that's the case, but not this time apparently. This time we're going to Europe. It's actually another tradition of ours."

"Going to Europe for a week in the middle of the school year is a tradition?" Finn asked, completely surprised.

"Well, when you put it that way it sounds a lot worse then I thought," Rory answered slowly, now rethinking her excitement about the trip.

Finn heard the change in her voice and immediately felt bad. "No, no, I'm sorry love. Everyone deserves some fun, especially you during the school year." He was just a little bitter she was willing to take a week off to hang out with Tristan but not him. As much as it hurt him to admit, Finn would have to remind himself that he and Rory just met while she and Tristan had been friends for years—it would take a while for the two of them to have a relationship like that.

"Are you upset?" Rory asked quickly. The thought of Finn being upset hadn't occurred to her.

"No love, not upset," he rushed to reassure her. "I'm just going to miss you."

Rory smiled at his words, they made her feel really good. Even though they hadn't truly discussed their relationship, knowing that he would miss her helped in her confidence of whatever they did have happening between them. "I'm going to miss you too Finn."

"Mary, pilot says you have to get off the phone with loverboy so he can take off," Tristan said loud enough for Finn to hear him.

"Loverboy? Did the pilot really say that?"

Tristan smirked. "Okay, maybe he didn't use that word _exactly_…"

"I didn't think so!" Rory laughed and turned her attention back to Finn. "I gotta go now Finn, sorry, pilot's orders, but I'll talk to you soon, okay?" She wouldn't promise when they would speak next because she knew the whole week would be crazy.

"Alright love, be safe."

"You too Finn." Rory hung up the phone a moment later, ready for a week of fun and adventure and hopefully not too much analyzing.


End file.
